Cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP

ABSTRACT

The disclosure provides a plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP as well as seeds and plants and fruits thereof. NUN 53050 CUP is a parthenocarpic pickling cucumber variety comprising resistance to Cladosporium cucumerinum (Cucumber Scab) and Erysiphe chicoracearum (Powdery Mildew).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.62/983,165, filed on Feb. 28, 2020, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to the field of plant breeding, specifically tocucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. The disclosure further relates tovegetative reproductions of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, methods fortissue culture of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and regenerating aplant from such a tissue culture and to phenotypic variants of cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP. The disclosure also relates to progeny ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and the hybrid varieties obtained bycrossing cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP as a parent line with plants ofother varieties or parent lines.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The goal of plant breeding is to combine various desirable traits in asingle variety. Such desirable traits may include greater yield,resistance to diseases, insects or other pests, tolerance to heat anddrought, better agronomic quality, higher nutritional value, enhancedgrowth rate, and improved fruit properties.

Breeding techniques take advantage of a plant's method of pollination.There are two general methods of pollination: a plant self-pollinates ifpollen from one flower is transferred to the same or another flower ofthe same genotype. A plant cross-pollinates if pollen comes to it from aflower of a different genotype. Plants that have been self-pollinatedand selected for (uniform) type over many generations become homozygousat almost all gene loci and produce a uniform population of truebreeding progeny of homozygous plants. A cross between two suchhomozygous plants of different lines produces a uniform population ofhybrid plants that are heterozygous for many gene loci. The extent ofheterozygosity in the hybrid is a function of the genetic distancebetween the parents. Conversely, a cross of two plants each heterozygousat a number of loci produces a segregating population of hybrid plantsthat differ genetically and are not uniform. The resultingnon-uniformity makes performance unpredictable.

The development of uniform varieties requires the development ofhomozygous inbred plants, the crossing of these inbred plants to makehybrids, and the evaluation of the hybrids resulting from the crosses.Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection are examples of breedingmethods that have been used to develop inbred plants from breedingpopulations. Those breeding methods combine the genetic backgrounds fromtwo or more plants or various other broad-based sources into breedingpools from which new lines are developed by selfing and selection ofdesired phenotypes. The new plants are evaluated to determine which havecommercial potential.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and isnaturally a diploid (2n=14) outcrossing species, although haploid,doubled-haploid (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,827, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety), and triploid (see, e.g.,Sarreb et al. (2002), Plant Cell Tissue, Organ Culture 71: 231-235)types have been developed. The fruit of cucumber is typicallycylindrical and elongated. It has thin, dark green skin and mild flavor,which can be eaten without peeling.

In the United States, the fourth largest cucumber producer, the slicing(fresh market) and pickling (processing) are the two main types ofcucumber fruit grown commercially. Varieties and production methods aretypically adapted to the end use. Slicing cucumbers are often longer,larger and have darker and thicker skin, whereas pickling/processingcucumbers have shorter fruit, thinner skin with interior flesh that makethem more amenable to pickling. Seedless varieties are generallypreferable for both fresh and processing markets as seeds are notpalatable.

Cucumber plants that set fruit parthenocarpically (without pollinationand fertilization) have more recently been available. These plantsproduce seedless fruit unless pollinated. Growth of parthenocarpicvarieties is beneficial in that setting of fruit on these cultivars doesnot produce an inhibiting effect on plant growth, unlike the case offertilized, seeded fruit. The seedless varieties are usually higheryielding and of higher quality due to the lack of seeds. However, growthof these plants requires isolation from seeded cucumbers to avoidpollination and subsequent seeded fruit.

Most of the cucumbers currently grown for processing (for pickles andpickle products) in the United States are seeded hybrid varieties.Hybrid varieties offer the advantages of easy combination of dominantand recessive traits, such as disease resistance, from a set of inbredparents, as well as careful control of parentage. The production of F1hybrid cucumber seeds from a pollen parent bearing only male flowers hasbeen reported (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,949).

Advances in biotechnology have also resulted in genetically engineeredcucumber plants with improved traits. For example, cucumbers resistantto Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) have been developed by expression of CMVprotein coat genes (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,128). Transgenicplants exhibiting, for example, other viral resistance traits or highlevels of superoxide dismutase have also been reported (see, e.g., U.S.Pat. No. 6,084,152).

While breeding efforts to date have provided a number of useful cucumbervarieties with beneficial traits, there remains a great need in the artfor new varieties with further improved traits. Such plants wouldbenefit farmers and consumers alike by improving crop yields and/orquality. Breeding objectives include varying the color, texture, andflavor of the fruit, minimizing the occurrence of bitterness, optimizingflesh thickness, solid content (% dry matter), storage properties, andsugar content. Breeding programs also focus on developing plants withearlier fruit maturity, more restricted vine growth, improved diseaseresistance or tolerance, and improved adaptability to environmentalconditions.

SUMMARY OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure provides for cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, productsthereof, and methods of using the same. NUN 53050 CUP is aparthenocarpic pickling cucumber variety and is suitable for growing inthe open field.

In another aspect, the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP, or part thereof,or progeny thereof comprises resistance to Cladosporium cucumerinum(Cucumber Scab) and Erysiphe chicoracearum (Powdery Mildew), measuredaccording to TG/61/7.

In another aspect, the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP has 21, 22, ormore or all of the following distinguishing characteristics whencompared to the Reference Variety as shown in Table 3: 1) shorter mainstem; 2) longer 3^(rd) internode length; 3) longer mature leaf; 4) widermature leaf; 5) shorter petiole; 6) right angled shape of apex ofterminal lobe; 7) medium leaf blistering; 8) thinner petiole; 9) largerfruit diameter at edible maturity; 10) lighter fruit at edible maturity;11) medium green color at stem end at edible maturity; 12) medium greencolor at blossom end at edible maturity; 13) tapered at blossom end; 14)obtuse shape of calyx; 15) light to medium intensity of ground color ofskin at market stage; 16) very small warts; 17) evenly distributed dots;18) contains dots the whole length of fruit; 19) dense dots; 20) lesswarts per 2 cm²; 21) cream color of fruit seed at harvest maturity; and22) striped seed mature fruit color pattern, when determined at 5%significance level for numerical characteristics and determined by typeor degree for non-numerical characteristics for plants grown under thesame environmental conditions.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a plant or a progeny havingall the physiological and morphological characteristics of variety NUN53050 CUP when grown under the same environmental conditions. In anotheraspect, the plant or progeny has all or all but one, two, or three ofthe physiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP when measured under the same environmental conditions ande.g., evaluated at significance levels of 1%, 5%, or 10% significance(which can also be expressed as a p-value) for quantitativecharacteristics and determined by type or degree for non-quantitativecharacteristics, wherein a representative sample of seed of variety NUN53050 CUP has been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43714. Inanother aspect, the plant or progeny has all or all but one, two, orthree of the physiological and morphological characteristics as listedin Tables 1 and 2 for variety NUN 53050 CUP when measured under the sameenvironmental conditions and e.g., evaluated at significance levels of1%, 5% or 10% significance (which can also be expressed as a p-value)for quantitative characteristics and determined by type or degree fornon-quantitative characteristics.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a seed of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP, wherein a representative sample of said seed has beendeposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43714. The disclosure alsoprovides for a plurality of seeds of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. Thecucumber seed of variety NUN 53050 CUP may be provided as an essentiallyhomogeneous population of cucumber seed. The population of seed ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP may be particularly defined asessentially free from other seed. The seed population may be grown intoplants to provide an essentially homogeneous population of cucumberplants as described herein.

The disclosure also provides a plant grown from a seed of cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP and a plant part thereof.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides for a hybrid variety of NUN53050 CUP.

The disclosure also provides for a progeny of variety NUN 53050 CUP. Inanother aspect, the disclosure provides a plant or a progeny retainingall or all but one, two, or three of the “distinguishingcharacteristics” or all or all but one, two, or three of the“morphological and physiological characteristics” of variety NUN 53050CUP and methods for producing that plant or progeny.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a seed growing or grown on aplant of variety NUN 53050 CUP (i.e., produced after pollination of theflower of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP). The disclosure also providesan F1 progeny of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

The disclosure furthermore provides a cucumber fruit produced on a plantgrown from a seed of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

In other aspects, the disclosure provides for a plant part obtained fromvariety NUN 53050 CUP, wherein said plant part is: a fruit, a harvestedfruit, a part of a fruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf, pollen, an ovule, acell, a petiole, a shoot or a part thereof, a stem or a part thereof, aroot or a part thereof, a root tip, a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed,seed coat or another maternal tissue which is part of a seed grown onsaid variety, a hypocotyl, a cotyledon, a scion, a stock, a rootstock, apistil, an anther, or a flower or a part thereof. Fruits areparticularly important plant parts. In another aspect, the plant partobtained from variety NUN 53050 CUP is a cell, optionally a cell in acell or tissue culture. That cell may be grown into a plant of varietyNUN 53050 CUP.

The disclosure also provides a cell culture of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and a plant regenerated from cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP,wherein the plant has all the characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP, when grown under the same environmental conditions, as wellas methods for culturing and regenerating cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP. Alternatively, a regenerated plant may have one characteristic thatis different from cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

The disclosure further provides a vegetatively propagated plant ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP having all or all but one, two, or three of themorphological and physiological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP, when grown under the same environmental conditions.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of producing acucumber plant comprising crossing cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP withitself or with another cucumber variety and selecting a progeny cucumberplant from said crossing.

The disclosure also provides a method of producing a cucumber plantderived from cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

In a further aspect, the disclosure provides a method of producing ahybrid cucumber seed comprising crossing a first parent cucumber plantwith a second parent cucumber plant and harvesting the resultant hybridcucumber seed, wherein said first parent plant or second parent cucumberplant is cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. Also provided is a hybridcucumber seed produced from crossing a first parent cucumber plant andsecond parent cucumber plant and harvesting the resultant hybridcucumber seed, wherein said first parent cucumber plant or second parentcucumber plant is cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. Moreover, the hybridcucumber plant grown from the hybrid cucumber seed is provided.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of introducing asingle locus conversion into the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP, whereina representative sample of seed of said cucumber variety has beendeposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43714, wherein the single locusconverted plant comprises the single locus conversion and otherwiseretains all of the physiological and morphological characteristics ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

In yet another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of introducing adesired trait into cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, said method comprisestransforming the plant of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP with atransgene that confers the desired trait, wherein the transformed plantcontains the desired trait and otherwise has all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

The disclosure also provides a method of producing a modified cucumberplant with a desired trait, wherein the method comprises mutating acucumber plant or plant part of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, whereina representative sample of seed of said cucumber variety has beendeposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43714, and wherein the mutatedplant contains the desired trait and otherwise retains all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP.

In one aspect, the single locus conversion or desired trait is yield,size, compactness, dry matter content, firmness, flavor, fruit quality,enhanced nutritional quality, post-harvest quality, storage properties,color, male sterility, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, pestresistance, disease resistance, Powdery mildew resistance withoutnecrosis, environmental stress tolerance, modified carbohydratemetabolism, modified protein metabolism, or ripening.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a container comprising theplant, plant part, or seed of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

Also provided is a food, a feed, or a processed product comprising theplant part of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, wherein the plant part isa fruit or part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the leaf comparison of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP andthe Reference Variety.

FIG. 2 shows the fruits at edible maturity of cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP.

FIG. 3 shows the fruits at edible maturity of the Reference Variety.

FIG. 4 shows the fruit comparison at edible maturity of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP and the Reference Variety.

FIG. 5 shows the cross-section comparison at edible maturity of cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP and the Reference Variety.

FIG. 6 shows the seed mature fruit comparison at harvest maturity ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and the Reference Variety.

DEFINITIONS

“Cucumber” refers herein to plants of the species Cucumis sativus. Themost commonly eaten part of a cucumber is the fruit or pepo. The fruitcomprises a stem and peduncle or pedicel, receptacle, ectocarp, rind,fruit flesh, exocarp, mesocarp, external phloem, internal phloem, xylem,vascular bundle, carpel, placenta and optionally seed. The stem andpeduncle or pedicel, receptacle, ectocarp, rind, fruit flesh, exocarp,mesocarp, external phloem, internal phloem, xylem, vascular bundle,carpel, placenta and seed coat of the seed are maternal tissues and aregenetically identical to the plant on which they grow.

“Cultivated cucumber” refers to plants of Cucumis sativus i.e.,varieties, breeding lines or cultivars of the species C. sativus,cultivated by humans and having good agronomic characteristics.

“Pickling cucumber” refers to cucumbers suitable for processing bypickling in a brine, vinegar, marinade or other solution. Saidprocessing includes allowing the cucumbers to ferment for a period oftime by immersion in an acidic liquid or through lacto-fermentation.Pickled pickling cucumbers are also known as pickles or gherkins.

The terms “cucumber plant designated NUN 53050 CUP,” “NUN 53050 CUP,”“NUN 53050,” “NUN 53050 F1,” “53050 CUP,” “cucumber 53050” are usedinterchangeably herein and refer to a cucumber plant of variety NUN53050 CUP, representative seed of which having been deposited underAccession Number NCIMB 43714.

A “seed of NUN 53050 CUP” refers to a cucumber seed which can be growninto a plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP, wherein a representative sampleof viable seed of variety NUN 53050 CUP has been deposited underAccession Number NCIMB 43714. A seed can be in any stage of maturity,for example, a mature, viable seed, or an immature, non-viable seed. Aseed comprises an embryo and maternal tissues.

An “embryo of NUN 53050 CUP” refers to an “F1 hybrid embryo” as presentin a seed of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, a representative sample ofsaid seed of NUN 53050 CUP having been deposited under Accession NumberNCIMB 43714.

A “seed grown on NUN 53050 CUP” refers to a seed grown on a mature plantof variety NUN 53050 CUP or inside a fruit of cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP. The “seed grown on NUN 53050 CUP” contains tissues and DNA of thematernal parent, cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. When said seed isplanted, it grows into a first generation progeny plant of variety NUN53050 CUP.

A “fruit of NUN 53050 CUP” refers to a fruit containing maternal tissuesof cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP as deposited under Accession NumberNCIMB 43714. In one aspect, the fruit contains seed grown on cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP. In another aspect, the fruit does not containseed, i.e., the fruit is parthenocarpic. The skilled person is familiarwith methods for inducing parthenocarpy. Those methods comprisechemically or genetically inducing parthenocarpy. Compounds suitable forchemically inducing parthenocarpy include auxins, gibberellins andcytokinins. Genetic parthenocarpy can be induced (see, e.g., US2018/0054990 and US 2017/0335339 (PIN4) which are herein incorporated byreference in their entireties) or can be provided by reduced oreliminated expression of PISTILATA (PI) or APETALA3 (AP3). A fruit canbe in any stage of maturity, for example, a mature fruit in the yellowstage comprising viable seed, or an immature fruit in the edible greenstage comprising non-viable seed.

“Plant” includes the whole plant or any part or derivatives thereofhaving the same genetic makeup as the plant from which it is obtained.

“Plant part” includes any part of a plant, such as a plant organ (e.g.,harvested or non-harvested fruits), a plant cell, a plant protoplast, aplant cell tissue culture or a tissue culture from which a whole plantcan be regenerated, a plant cell that is intact in a plant, a clone, amicropropagation, plant callus, a plant cell clump, a plant transplant,a vegetative propagation, a seedling, a fruit, a harvested fruit, a partof a fruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf, pollen, an ovule, an embryo, apetiole, a shoot or a part thereof, a stem or a part thereof, a root ora part thereof, a root tip, a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed, ahypocotyl, a cotyledon, a scion, a graft, a stock, a rootstock, apistil, an anther, and a flower or part thereof. Seed can be mature orimmature. Pollen or ovules may be viable or non-viable. Also, anydevelopmental stage is included, such as seedlings, cuttings prior orafter rooting, mature plants or leaves. Alternatively, a plant part mayalso include a plant seed which comprises maternal tissues of cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP and an embryo having one or two sets ofchromosomes derived from the parent plant, e.g., from cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP. Such an embryo comprises two sets of chromosomes derivedfrom cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP if it is produced fromself-pollination of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, while an embryoderived from cross-fertilization of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, willcomprise only one set of chromosomes from cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP, and the other set of chromosomes from the other parent.

An “essentially homogeneous population of cucumber seed” is a populationof seeds where at least 97%, 98%, 99% or more of the total population ofseeds are seeds of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

An “essentially homogeneous population of cucumber plants” is apopulation of plants where at least 97%, 98%, 99% or more of the totalpopulation of plants are plants of variety NUN 53050 CUP.

The phrase “essentially free from other seed” refers to a population ofseed where less than 3%, 2%, 1% or less of the total population of seedis seed that is not a cucumber seed or, in another aspect, less than 3%,2%, 1% or less of the total population of seed is seed that is not aseed of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

“Harvest maturity” refers to the stage at which a cucumber fruit is ripeor ready for harvest or the optimal time to harvest the fruit for themarket, for processing or for consumption. In one aspect, harvestmaturity is the stage which allows proper completion of the normalripening.

“Flavor” refers to the sensory impression of a food or other substance,especially a cucumber fruit or fruit part (fruit flesh) and isdetermined mainly by the chemical senses of taste and smell. Flavor isinfluenced by texture properties and by volatile and/or non-volatilechemical components (organic acids, lipids, carbohydrates, salts etc.).

“Aroma” refers to smell (or odor) characteristics of cucumber fruits orfruit parts (fruit flesh).

“Yield” means the total weight of all cucumber fruits harvested perhectare of a particular line or variety. It is understood that “yield”expressed as weight of all cucumber fruits harvested per hectare can beobtained by multiplying the number of plants per hectare times the“yield per plant”.

“Marketable yield” means the total weight of all marketable cucumberfruits, especially fruit which is not cracked, damaged or diseased,harvested per hectare of a particular line or variety. A “marketablefruit” is a fruit that has commercial value.

“Harvested plant material” refers herein to plant parts (e.g., fruitsdetached from the whole plant), which have been collected for furtherstorage and/or further use.

“USDA descriptors” are the plant variety descriptors described forcucumber in the “Objective Description of Variety—Cucumber (Cucumissativus L.),” as published by the US Department of Agriculture,Agricultural Marketing Service, Plant Variety Protection Office,Beltsville, Md. 20705 and which can be downloaded from the world-wideweb at ams.usda.gov/under services/plant-variety-protection/pvpo-c-formsunder cucumber. “Non-USDA descriptors” are other descriptors suitablefor describing cucumber.

“UPOV descriptors” are the plant variety descriptors described forcucumber in the “Guidelines for the Conduct of Tests for Distinctness,Uniformity and Stability, TG/61/7 (Geneva 2007, revised 2019 Mar. 13),as published by UPOV (International Union for the Protection of NewVarieties and Plants) and which can be downloaded from the world-wideweb at upov.int/edocs/tgdocs/en/tg061.pdf and is herein incorporated byreference in its entirety. Likewise, “UPOV methods” to determinespecific parameters for the characterization of cucumber are describedat upov.int.

“Calibration Book for Cucumber & Gherkin” refers to the calibration bookfor cucumbers and gherkins which provides guidance for describing acucumber variety, as published by Naktuinbouw (version 1, December2010). The calibration book is based on the CPVO (Community PlantVariety Protection Office) Protocol CPVO-TP/06/12 and UPOV GuidelineTG/6/1/7.

“RHS” or “RHS color chart” refers to the color chart of the RoyalHorticultural Society (UK), which publishes an official botanical colorchart quantitatively identifying colors according to a defined numberingsystem. The chart may be purchased from Royal Horticulture SocietyEnterprise Ltd RHS Garden; Wisley, Woking; Surrey GU236QB, UK, e.g., theRHS color chart 2007.

“Reference Variety for Cucumber Variety NUN 53050 CUP” refers herein tovariety Bowie RZ F1, a commercial variety from Rijk Zwaan, which hasbeen planted in a trial together with cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.The characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP were compared withthe characteristics of the Reference Variety as shown in Tables 1 and 2.The distinguishing characteristics between cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP and the Reference Variety are shown in Table 3.

A plant having “all the physiological and morphological characteristics”of a referred-to-plant means a plant showing the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the referred-to-plant when grown underthe same environmental conditions, preferably in the same experiment;the referred-to-plant can be a plant from which it was derived, e.g.,the progenitor plant, the parent, the recurrent parent, the plant usedfor tissue- or cell culture, etc. A physiological or morphologicalcharacteristic can be a numerical characteristic or a non-numericalcharacteristic. In one aspect, a plant has “all but one, two or three ofthe physiological and morphological characteristics” of areferred-to-plant, or “all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics” of Tables 1 and 2 or “all or all but one, two or threeof the physiological and morphological characteristics” of Tables 1 and2.

The physiological and/or morphological characteristics mentioned aboveare commonly evaluated at significance levels of 1%, 5% or 10% if theyare numerical, or for having an identical degree (or type) if notnumerical, measured under the same environmental conditions. Forexample, a progeny plant or a Single Locus Converted plant or a mutatedplant of variety NUN 53050 CUP, may have one or more (or all) of theessential physiological and/or morphological characteristics of saidvariety listed in Tables 1 and 2, as determined at the 5% significancelevel (i.e., p<0.05), when grown under the same environmentalconditions.

“Distinguishing characteristics” or “distinguishing morphological and/orphysiological characteristics” refers herein to the characteristicswhich distinguish the new variety from other cucumber varieties, such asthe Reference Variety (i.e., are different), when grown under the sameenvironmental conditions. The distinguishing characteristics betweencucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and the Reference Variety are describedherein and is shown in Table 3. When comparing cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP to other varieties, the distinguishing characteristics may bedifferent. In one aspect, the distinguishing characteristics may includeone, two, three or more (or all) of the characteristics listed in Tables1 and 2. Preferably, all numerical distinguishing characteristics arestatistically significantly different at p<0.05 between cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP or the other variety (e.g., the Reference Variety).

Cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP has the following distinguishingcharacteristics when compared to the Reference Variety as shown in Table3: 1) shorter main stem; 2) longer 3^(rd) internode length; 3) longermature leaf; 4) wider mature leaf; 5) shorter petiole; 6) right angledshape of apex of terminal lobe; 7) medium leaf blistering; 8) thinnerpetiole; 9) larger fruit diameter at edible maturity; 10) lighter fruitat edible maturity; 11) medium green color at stem end at ediblematurity; 12) medium green color at blossom end at edible maturity; 13)tapered at blossom end; 14) obtuse shape of calyx; 15) light to mediumintensity of ground color of skin at market stage; 16) very small warts;17) evenly distributed dots; 18) contains dots the whole length offruit; 19) dense dots; 20) less warts per 2 cm²; 21) cream color offruit seed at harvest maturity; and 22) striped seed mature fruit colorpattern, when determined at 5% significance level for numericalcharacteristics and determined by type or degree for non-numericalcharacteristics for plants grown under the same environmentalconditions.

Thus, a cucumber plant “comprising the distinguishing characteristics ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP” (such as a progeny plant) refers hereinto a plant which does not differ significantly from said variety in thedistinguishing characteristics above, when determined at 5% significancelevel for numerical characteristics and determined by type or degree fornon-numerical characteristics. Therefore, in one aspect, a cucumberplant is provided which does not differ significantly from cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP.

Similarity and differences between two different plant lines orvarieties can be determined by comparing the number of morphologicaland/or physiological characteristics that are the same (i.e.,statistically not significantly different) or that are different (i.e.,statistically significantly different) between the two plant lines orvarieties using plants grown under the same environmental conditions.Preferably, a numerical characteristic is considered to be “the same”when the value for a numeric characteristic is not significantlydifferent at the 1% (p<0.01) or 5% (p<0.05) significance level, using aT-test, a standard method known to the skilled person. Preferably,non-numerical or “degree” or “type” characteristics are considered “thesame” when the values have the same “degree” or “type” when scored usingUSDA and/or UPOV descriptors, if the plants are grown under the sameenvironmental conditions.

In one aspect, a statistical analysis of the quantitativecharacteristics showing the degree of significance may be provided.Statistical significance is the likelihood that a relationship betweentwo or more variables is caused by something other than chance, i.e.,that the differences in the means for quantitative characteristics ofthe plant of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and the Reference Varietyare significant due to chance. For the purpose of proving differences ordistinction between cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and the ReferenceVariety, a p-value of 5% or 0.05 or lower is considered statisticallysignificant. This means that there is only a 5% probability or lowerprobability that the observed result could have happened just by chanceor random variation.

The statistical analysis is drawn from a small sample of at least 15plants or plant parts of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and theReference Variety. Statistical points or parameters such as mean,minimum, median, maximum, and standard deviation are collected from thesample data to analyze where the average is, how varied the data set is,and whether the data is skewed. For the purpose of determining whetherthe result of the data set is statistically significant, a T-Test isused, a statistical tool for proving significance in the means of thetwo groups (e.g., cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and the ReferenceVariety) at 5% significance level (a p-value of 5% or 0.05).

“Variety” or “cultivar” means a plant grouping within a single botanicaltaxon of the lowest rank.

A “plant line” is, for example, a breeding line which can be used todevelop one or more varieties. A breeding line is typically highlyhomozygous.

“Harvested seeds” refer to seeds harvested from a line or variety, e.g.,produced after self-fertilization or cross-fertilization and collected.

“Hybrid variety” or “F1 hybrid” refers to the seeds harvested fromcrossing two inbred (nearly homozygous) parental lines. For example, thefemale parent is pollinated with pollen of the male parent to producehybrid (F1) seeds on the female parent.

“Locus” (plural loci) refers to the specific location, place or site ofa DNA sequence on a chromosome where, for example, a gene or geneticmarker is found. A locus may confer a specific trait.

“Allele” refers to one or more alternative forms of a gene locus. All ofthese loci relate to one trait. Sometimes, different alleles can resultin different observable phenotypic traits, such as differentpigmentation. However, many variations at the genetic level result inlittle or no observable variation. If a multicellular organism has twosets of chromosomes, i.e., diploid, these chromosomes are referred to ashomologous chromosomes. Diploid organisms have one copy each of gene(and therefore one allele) on each chromosome. If both alleles are thesame, they are homozygotes. If the alleles are different, they areheterozygotes.

“Genotype” refers to the genetic composition of a cell or organism.

“Phenotype” refers to the detectable characteristics of a plant, a cell,or an organism, which characteristics are the manifestation of geneexpression.

“Haploid” refers to a cell or organism having one set of two sets ofchromosomes in a diploid.

“Diploid” refers to a plant, a vegetative plant part(s), or seed havingtwo sets of chromosomes, designated herein as 2n.

“Triploid” refers to a plant, a vegetative plant part (s), or seedhaving three sets of chromosomes, designated herein as 3n.

“Tetraploid” refers to a plant, vegetative plant part(s), or seed havingfour sets of chromosomes, designated herein as 4n.

“Rootstock” or “stock” refers to the plant selected for its roots, inparticular for the resistance of the roots to diseases or stress (e.g.,heat, cold, salinity etc.). Normally, the quality of the fruit of theplant providing the rootstock is less important.

“Scion” refers to a part of the plant attached to the rootstock. Thisplant is selected for its stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits. The scioncontains the desired genes to be duplicated in future production by thestock/scion plant and may produce the desired cucumber fruit.

“Stock/scion” or “grafted plant” refers to a cucumber plant comprising arootstock from one plant grafted to a scion from another plant.

“Grafting” refers to the method of joining of (genetically) differentplant parts, especially scions and rootstocks, together so that theygrow as a single plant. A grafted seedlings or a grafted plant is aseedling or plant (produced by grafting) consisting of such differentplant parts and which grows as one plant.

“Tissue culture” or “cell culture” refers to a composition comprisingisolated cells of the same or a different type or a collection of suchcells organized into parts of a plant. Tissue culture of various tissuesof cucumber and regeneration of plants therefrom is well known andwidely published (see, e.g., Sang-Gu et al. (1988), Plant Cell, Tissueand Organ Culture 12: 67-74; Colijn-Hooymans (1994), Plant Cell, Tissueand Organ Culture 39: 211-217). Similarly, methods of preparing cellcultures are known in the art.

“Vegetative propagation,” “vegetative reproduction,” or “clonalpropagation” are used interchangeably herein and mean a method of takinga plant part and inducing or allowing that plant part to form at leastroots, and also refer to the plant or plantlet obtained by that method.Optionally, the vegetative propagation is grown into a mature plant. Theskilled person is aware of what plant parts are suitable for use in themethod.

“Regeneration” refers to the development of a plant from cell culture,or tissue culture, or vegetative propagation.

The term “traditional breeding techniques” encompasses herein crossing,selfing, selection, doubled haploid production, embryo rescue,protoplast fusion, marker assisted selection, mutation breeding etc. asknown to the breeder (i.e., methods other than geneticmodification/transformation/transgenic methods), by which, for example,a genetically heritable trait can be transferred from one cucumber lineor variety to another.

“Crossing” refers to the mating of two parent plants. The termencompasses “cross-pollination” and “selfing”.

“Selfing” refers to self-pollination of a plant, i.e., the transfer ofpollen from the anther to the stigma of the same plant.

“Cross-pollination” refers to the fertilization by the union of twogametes from different plants.

“Backcrossing” is a traditional breeding technique used to introduce atrait into a plant line or variety. The plant containing the trait iscalled the donor plant and the plant into which the trait is transferredis called the recurrent parent. An initial cross is made between thedonor parent and the recurrent parent to produce a progeny plant.Progeny plants which have the trait are then crossed to the recurrentparent. After several generations of backcrossing and/or selfing therecurrent parent comprises the trait of the donor. The plant generatedin this way may be referred to as a “single trait converted plant”. Thetechnique can also be used on a parental line of a hybrid.

“Progeny” as used herein refers to a plant obtained from a plantdesignated NUN 53050 CUP. A progeny may be obtained by regeneration ofcell culture or tissue culture or parts of a plant of said variety orselfing of a plant of said variety or by producing seeds of a plant ofsaid variety. In further aspects, progeny may also encompass plantsobtained from crossing of at least one plant of said variety withanother cucumber plant of the same variety or another variety or line,or with wild cucumber plants. A progeny may comprise a mutation or atransgene. A “first generation progeny” is the progeny directly derivedfrom, obtained from, obtainable from or derivable from the parent plantby, e.g., traditional breeding methods (selfing and/orcross-pollinating) or regeneration (optionally combined withtransformation or mutation). Thus, a plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP isthe male parent, the female parent or both of a first generation progenyof cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. Progeny may have all thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP, when grown under the same environmental conditions. Usingmethods such as backcrossing, recurrent selection, mutation ortransformation, one or more specific characteristics may be introducedinto said variety, to provide or a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3of the morphological and physiological characteristics of cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP.

The terms “gene converted” or “conversion plant” or “single locusconverted plant” in this context refer to cucumber plants which aredeveloped by traditional breeding techniques, e.g., backcrossing or viagenetic engineering or through mutation breeding, wherein essentiallyall of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics ofthe parent variety or line are recovered, in addition to the one or morecharacteristics introduced into the parent via e.g., the backcrossingtechnique (optionally including reverse breeding or reverse synthesis ofbreeding lines). It is understood that not only the addition of afurther characteristic (e.g., addition of gene conferring a furthercharacteristic, such as a disease resistance gene), but also thereplacement/modification of an existing characteristic by a differentcharacteristic is encompassed herein (e.g., mutant allele of a gene canmodify the phenotype of a characteristic).

Likewise, a “Single Locus Converted (Conversion) Plant” refers to plantsdeveloped by plant breeding techniques comprising or consisting ofmutation and/or by genetic transformation and/or by traditional breedingtechniques, such as backcrossing, wherein essentially all of the desiredmorphological and physiological characteristics of a cucumber varietyare recovered in addition to the characteristics of the single locushaving been transferred into the variety via the abovementionedtechnique, or wherein the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of the variety has been replaced/modified in thevariety. In case of a hybrid, the gene may be introduced or modified inthe male or female parental line.

“Transgene” or “chimeric gene” refers to a genetic locus comprising aDNA sequence which has been introduced into the genome of the plant bytransformation. A plant comprising a transgene stably integrated intoits genome is referred to as “transgenic plant.”

As used herein, the terms “resistance” and “tolerance” are usedinterchangeably to describe plants that show no symptoms orsignificantly reduced symptoms to a specified biotic pest, pathogen,abiotic influence or environmental condition compared to a susceptibleplant. These terms are optionally also used to describe plants showingsome symptoms but that are still able to produce marketable product withan acceptable yield.

“Average” refers herein to the arithmetic mean.

The term “mean” refers to the arithmetic mean of several measurements.The mean, if not indicated otherwise within this application, refers tothe arithmetic mean of measurements on at least 10 different, randomlyselected plants of a variety or line.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to a plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP, wherein arepresentative sample of seeds of said variety has been deposited underthe Budapest Treaty, with Accession Number NCIMB 43714. NUN 53050 CUP isa parthenocarpic pickling cucumber variety and is suitable for growingin the open field.

In another aspect, the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP, or part thereof,or progeny thereof comprises resistance to Cladosporium cucumerinum(Cucumber Scab) and Erysiphe chicoracearum (Powdery Mildew), measuredaccording to TG/61/7.

The disclosure also provides a cucumber plant or part thereof having allof the physiological and morphological characteristics of the plant ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, when grown under the same environmentalconditions.

In another aspect, the plant of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, or partthereof, of progeny plant thereof, comprises all of the morphologicaland physiological characteristics (i.e., average values, as indicated onthe USDA Objective description of variety—cucumber, unless indicatedotherwise) as shown in Tables 1 and 2, when determined at 5%significance level for numerical characteristics and determined by typeor degree for non-numerical characteristics for plants grown under thesame environmental conditions. A part of this plant is also provided.

The disclosure further provides a cucumber plant which does not differfrom the physiological and morphological characteristics of the plant ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP as determined at the 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% or 5%significance level for numerical characteristics and identical fornon-numerical characteristics, when grown under the same environmentalconditions. In a particular aspect, the plants are measured in the sametrial (e.g., the trial is conducted as recommended by the USDA or UPOV).The disclosure also comprises a part of said plant, preferably a fruitor a part thereof.

The disclosure further relates to cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, whichwhen compared to the Reference Variety has the following distinguishingcharacteristics as shown in Table 3: 1) shorter main stem; 2) longer3^(rd) internode length; 3) longer mature leaf; 4) wider mature leaf; 5)shorter petiole; 6) right angled shape of apex of terminal lobe; 7)medium leaf blistering; 8) thinner petiole; 9) larger fruit diameter atedible maturity; 10) lighter fruit at edible maturity; 11) medium greencolor at stem end at edible maturity; 12) medium green color at blossomend at edible maturity; 13) tapered at blossom end; 14) obtuse shape ofcalyx; 15) light to medium intensity of ground color of skin at marketstage; 16) very small warts; 17) evenly distributed dots; 18) containsdots the whole length of fruit; 19) dense dots; 20) less warts per 2cm²; 21) cream color of fruit seed at harvest maturity; and 22) stripedseed mature fruit color pattern, when determined at 5% significancelevel for numerical characteristics and determined by type or degree fornon-numerical characteristics for plants grown under the sameenvironmental conditions.

The morphological and/or physiological differences between two differentindividual plants described herein (e.g., between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and a progeny of said variety) or between a plant of varietyNUN 53050 CUP or progeny of said variety, or a plant having all, or allbut 1, 2, or 3, of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP (or all, or all but 1, 2, or 3 of thecharacteristics as listed in Tables 1 and 2) and another known varietycan easily be established by growing said variety next to each other ornext to the other variety (in the same field, under the sameenvironmental conditions), preferably in several locations which aresuitable for said cucumber cultivation, and measuring morphologicaland/or physiological characteristics of a number of plants (e.g., tocalculate an average value and to determine the variationrange/uniformity within the variety). For example, trials can be carriedout in Acampo Calif., USA (N 38 degrees 07′261″/W 121 degrees 18′ 807″,USA), whereby various characteristics, for example, days from seeding tomarket maturity, plant habit, plant growth and sex, stem form, fruitskin color, fruit neck shape, fruit tapering, skin thickness, toughness,and luster, flavor, disease resistance, insect resistance, can bemeasured and directly compared for species of cucumber.

Thus, the disclosure comprises a cucumber plant having one, two, orthree physiological or morphological characteristics which are differentfrom those of the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP and which otherwise hasall the physiological and morphological characteristics of the plant ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP, when determined (e.g., at the 5% significancelevel for quantitative characteristics and identical for non-numericalcharacteristics) for plants grown under the same environmentalconditions. In another aspect, the different characteristic is affectedby a mutation, optionally induced mutation, or by transformation.

The disclosure also relates to a seed of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUPwherein a representative sample of said seed has been deposited underthe Budapest Treaty, with Accession number NCIMB 43714.

In another aspect, a seed of hybrid variety NUN 53050 CUP is obtainableby crossing the male parent of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP with thefemale parent of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and harvesting the seedsproduced on the female parent. The resultant seeds of said variety canbe grown to produce plants of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

The disclosure also provides a plant grown from a seed of cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP and plant part thereof, wherein a representativesample of seed has been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43714.

The disclosure also provides a cucumber fruit produced on a plant grownfrom a seed of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, wherein a representativesample of seed has been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43714.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides for a cucumber plant part ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP, preferably a fruit or part thereof, arepresentative sample of seed from said variety has been deposited underthe Budapest Treaty, with Accession number NCIMB 43714.

Also provided is a plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP, or a fruit, or otherplant part thereof, produced from a seed, wherein a representativesample of said seeds has been deposited under the Budapest Treaty, withAccession Number NCIMB 43714.

Also provided is a plant part obtained from variety NUN 53050 CUP,wherein said plant part is a fruit, a harvested fruit, a part of afruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf, pollen, an ovule, a cell, a petiole, ashoot or a part thereof, a stem or a part thereof, a root or a partthereof, a root tip, a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed, seed coat oranother maternal tissue which is part of a seed grown on said variety, ahypocotyl, a cotyledon, a scion, a stock, a rootstock, a pistil, ananther, and a flower or a part thereof. Such plant parts may be suitablefor sexual reproduction (e.g., a pollen, a flower, an ovary, an ovule,an embryo, etc.), vegetative reproduction (e.g., a cutting, a root, astem, a cell, a protoplast, a leaf, a cotyledon, a meristem, etc.) ortissue culture (e.g., a leaf, a pollen, an embryo, a cotyledon, ahypocotyl, a cell, a root, a root tip, an anther, a flower, a seed, astem, etc.). Fruits are particularly important plant parts. Fruits maybe parthenocarpic, or seedless, or contain immature or nonviable seeds,or contain viable seeds.

In a further aspect, the plant part obtained from variety NUN 53050 CUPis a cell, optionally a cell in a cell or tissue culture. That cell maybe grown into a plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP. A part of the plant ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP (or of a progeny of that variety or of a planthaving all physiological and/or morphological characteristics but one,two, or three which are different from those of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP, further encompasses any cells, tissues, organs obtainablefrom the seedlings or plants in any stage of maturity.

The disclosure also provides a tissue or cell culture comprising cellsof cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. Such a tissue culture can, forexample, be grown on plates or in liquid culture, or be frozen for longterm storage. The cells of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP used to startthe culture can be selected from any plant part suitable for vegetativereproduction, or in a particular aspect can be cells of an embryo, ameristem, a cotyledon, a hypocotyl, pollen, a leaf, an anther, a root, aroot tip, a pistil, a petiole, a flower, a fruit, a seed or a stem. Inanother particular aspect, the tissue culture does not containsomaclonal variation or has reduced somaclonal variation. The skilledperson is familiar with methods to reduce or prevent somaclonalvariation, including regular re-initiation.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a cucumber plant regenerated fromthe tissue or cell culture of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, whereinthe regenerated plant is not significantly different from cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP, in all, or all but one, two, or three, of thephysiological and morphological characteristics (e.g., determined at the5% significance level for numerical characteristics and identical fornon-numerical characteristics when grown under the same environmentalconditions). Optionally, the plant has one, two, or three thephysiological or morphological characteristics that are affected by amutation or by transformation with a transgene.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a cucumber plant regeneratedfrom the tissue or cell culture of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP,wherein the plant has all or all but one, two, or three of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of said variety (e.g.,determined at the 5% significance level for numerical characteristicsand identical for non-numerical characteristics when grown under thesame environmental conditions). Similarity or difference of acharacteristic is determined by measuring that characteristics on arepresentative number of plants grown under the same environmentalconditions, determining whether type/degree characteristics are the sameand determining whether numerical characteristics are different at the5% significance level.

Cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, or its progeny, or a plant having allphysiological and/or morphological characteristics but one, two, orthree which are different from those of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP,can also be reproduced using vegetative reproduction methods. Therefore,the disclosure provides for a method of producing a plant, or a plantpart, of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, comprising vegetativepropagation of said variety. Vegetative propagation comprisesregenerating a whole plant from a plant part of variety NUN 53050 CUP orfrom a progeny or from or a plant having all physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of said variety but one, two, or threedifferent characteristics, such as a cutting, a cell culture, or atissue culture.

The disclosure also provides methods of vegetatively propagating a partof the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP. In certain aspects, the methodcomprises: (a) cultivating tissue or cells capable of being propagatedfrom cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP to obtain proliferated shoots; and(b) rooting said proliferated shoots, to obtain rooted plantlets. Steps(a) and (b) may also be reversed, i.e., first cultivating said tissue toobtain roots and then cultivating the tissue to obtain shoots, therebyobtaining rooted plantlets. The rooted plantlets may then be furthergrown, to obtain plants. In one aspect, the method further comprisesstep (c) growing plants from said rooted plantlets. Therefore, themethod also comprises regenerating a whole plant from a part of theplant of variety NUN 53050 CUP. In a particular aspect, the part of theplant to be propagated is is a cutting, a cell culture, or a tissueculture.

The disclosure also provides for a vegetatively propagated plant ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP, or part thereof (or from progeny of said varietyor from or a plant having all but one, two, or three physiologicaland/or morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP),wherein the plant or part thereof has all of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP (e.g.,determined at the 5% significance level for numerical characteristicsand identical for non-numerical characteristics) when grown under thesame environmental conditions. In another aspect, the propagated planthas all but one, two, or three of the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP (e.g., determined atthe 5% significance level for numerical characteristics and identicalfor non-numerical characteristics) when grown under the sameenvironmental conditions.

In another aspect, the plant and plant parts of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and progeny of said variety are provided, e.g., grown fromseeds, produced by sexual or vegetative reproduction, regenerated fromthe above-described plant parts, or regenerated from a cell or tissueculture of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, in which the reproduced (seedpropagated or vegetatively propagated) plant has all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP. In one aspect, said progeny of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUPcan be modified in one, two, or three characteristics, in which themodification is a result of mutagenesis or transformation with atransgene.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method for producing acucumber plant part, preferably a fruit, comprising growing the plant ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP until it sets at least one fruit, and collectingthe fruit. Preferably, the fruit is collected at harvest maturity. Inanother aspect, the fruit is collected when the seed is ripe.

In another aspect, the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP can be produced byseeding directly in the soil (e.g., the field) or by germinating theseeds in a controlled environment (e.g., a greenhouse) and optionallythen transplanting the seedlings into the field. For example, a seed issown into a prepared seed bed in a field where the plant remains for itsentire life. Alternatively, the cucumber seed may be planted through ablack plastic mulch. The dark plastic will absorb heat from the sun,warming the soil early. It will also help to conserve moisture duringthe growing season, controls weed and makes harvesting easier andcleaner. Tunnel row covers are also used for protection against frostand wind, optionally with drip of irrigation system (see, e.g.,Schrader, et. al., University of California Agriculture and NaturalResources, Publication 8050, 2002, 1-8). Cucumber can also be grown onpoles or trellises to keep the fruit suspended or entirely in thegreenhouse (available at world-wide web at wifss.ucdavis.edu underwp-content/uploads/2016/05/FDA_WIFSS_-Cucumbers_PDF.pdf). High wirecultivation system and the use of artificial lightning have also beenintroduced for year-round production of cucumber (available atworld-wide web at nunhems.com under gb/en/solutions/high-wire.html).

In still another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of producing acucumber plant, comprising crossing the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUPwith a second cucumber plant at least once, allowing seed to develop andoptionally harvesting said progeny seed. The skilled person can selectprogeny from said crossing. Optionally, the progeny (grown from theprogeny seed) is crossed twice, thrice, or four, five, six or seventimes, and allowed to set seed. In one aspect, the first “crossing”further comprises planting seeds of a first and a second parent cucumberplant, often in proximity so that pollination will occur; for example,mediated by insect vectors. Alternatively, pollen can be transferredmanually. Where the plant is self-pollinated, pollination may occurwithout the need for direct human intervention other than plantcultivation. After pollination the plant can produce seed.

The disclosure also provides a method for collecting pollen of cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP, comprising collecting pollen from the plant ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP. Alternatively, the method comprises growing aplant of variety NUN 53050 CUP until at least one flower contains pollenand collecting the pollen. In a particular aspect, the pollen iscollected when it is mature or ripe. A suitable method for collectingpollen comprises collecting anthers or the part of the anther thatcontains pollen, for example, by cutting the anther or the part of theanther off. Pollen can be collected in a container. Optionally,collected pollen can be used to pollinate a cucumber flower.

In still another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of producing acucumber plant, comprising selfing the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUPone or more times, and selecting a progeny cucumber plant from saidselfing. In one aspect, the progeny plant retains all or all but one,two, or three of the physiological and morphological characteristic ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, when grown under the same environmentalconditions. In a different aspect, the progeny plant comprises all ofthe physiological and morphological characteristic of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP of Tables 1 and 2.

The disclosure also provides a method for developing a cucumber plant ina breeding program, using the plant of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP,or its parts as a source of plant breeding material. Suitable plantbreeding techniques are recurrent selection, backcrossing, pedigreebreeding, mass selection, mutation breeding and/or genetic markerenhanced selection. In one aspect, the method comprises crossingcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP or its progeny, or a plant comprising allbut 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP (e.g., as listed inTables 1 and 2), with a different cucumber plant, and wherein one ormore offspring of the crossing are subject to one or more plant breedingtechniques: recurrent selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding, massselection, mutation breeding and genetic marker enhanced selection (see,e.g., Vidaysky and Czosnek, (1998) Phytopathology 88(9): 910-4). Forbreeding methods in general, see, e.g., Principles of Plant Genetics andBreeding, 2007, George Acquaah, Blackwell Publishing, ISBN-13:978-1-4051-3646-4.

In other aspects, the disclosure provides a progeny plant of variety NUN53050 CUP, such as a progeny plant obtained by further breeding ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. Further breeding with cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP includes selfing that variety and/or cross-pollinatingsaid variety with another cucumber plant one or more times. In aparticular aspect, the disclosure provides for a progeny plant thatretains all the morphological and physiological characteristics ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, or in another aspect, a progeny plantthat retains all, or all but one, two, or three of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP,optionally all or all but one, two, or three of the characteristics aslisted in Tables 1 and 2, determined at the 5% significance level fornumerical characteristics and identical for non-numericalcharacteristics, when grown under the same environmental conditions. Inanother aspect, the progeny is a first generation progeny, i.e., theovule or the pollen (or both) used in the crossing is an ovule or pollenof cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, where the pollen comes from an antherof cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, and the ovule comes from an ovary ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. In another aspect, the disclosureprovides for a vegetative reproduction of the variety and a plant havingall, or all but 1, 2, or 3 of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP (e.g. as listed inTables 1).

In one aspect, pedigree selection is used as a breeding method fordeveloping a cucumber variety. Pedigree selection is also known as the“Vilmorin System of Selection,” see, e.g., Allard, John Wiley & Sons,Inc., 1999, 64-67. In general, selection is first practiced among F2plants. In the next season, the most desirable F3 lines are firstidentified, then desirable F3 plants within each line are selected. Thefollowing season and in all subsequent generations of inbreeding, themost desirable families are identified first, then desirable lineswithin the selected families are chosen. A family refers to lines thatwere derived from plants selected from the same progeny from thepreceding generation.

Thus, progeny in connection with pedigree selection are either thegeneration (seeds) produced from the first cross (F1) or selfing (51),or any further generation produced by crossing and/or selfing (F2, F3,etc.) and/or backcrossing (BC1, BC2, etc.) one or more selected plantsof the F1 and/or 51 and/or BC1 generation (or plants of any furthergeneration, e.g., F2) with another cucumber plant (and/or with a wildrelative of cucumber). Progeny may have all the physiological andmorphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, whengrown under the same environmental conditions and/or progeny may have(be selected for having) one or more of the distinguishingcharacteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

In yet a further aspect, the disclosure provides for a method ofproducing a new cucumber plant. The method comprises crossing cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP, or a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 of themorphological and physiological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP, (as listed in Tables 1 and 2), or a progeny thereof, eitheras male or as female parent, with a second cucumber plant (or a wildrelative of cucumber) one or more times, and/or selfing a cucumber plantof variety NUN 53050 CUP or a progeny plant thereof, one or more times,and selecting progeny from said crossing and/or selfing. The secondcucumber plant may, for example, be a line or variety of the species C.sativus L., Cucumis hystrix, Cucumis ritchiei (syn. Dicaelospermumritchiei) or Cucumis maderaspatana (syn. Mukia maderaspatana).

In a further aspect, cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP is used in crosseswith other different cucumber varieties to produce first generation (F1)cucumber hybrid seeds and plants with superior characteristics. In aparticular aspect, the disclosure provides a cucumber seed and acucumber plant produced by crossing a first parent cucumber plant with asecond parent cucumber plant, wherein at least one of the first orsecond parent cucumber plant is cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. Inanother aspect, the cucumber seed and cucumber plant produced are thefirst filial generation (F1) cucumber seed and plant produced bycrossing the plant of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP with anothercucumber plant.

The morphological and physiological characteristics of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP are provided in Tables 1 and 2, as collected in a trialaccording to USDA and/or UPOV standards. Encompassed herein is also aplant obtainable from cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP (e.g., by selfingand/or crossing and/or backcrossing with said variety and/or progeny ofsaid variety) comprising all or all but one, two, or three of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP as listed in Tables 1 and 2 (e.g., as determined at the 5%significance level for numerical characteristics and identical fornon-numerical characteristics), when grown under the same environmentalconditions and/or comprising one or more (or all; or all except one,two, or three) characteristics when grown under the same environmentalconditions. The morphological and/or physiological characteristics mayvary somewhat with variation in the environment (such as temperature,light intensity, day length, humidity, soil, fertilizer use), which iswhy a comparison under the same environmental conditions is preferred.Colors can best be measured using the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)Chart.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of producing a plantderived from a cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, comprising crossing theplant of variety NUN 53050 CUP either as a male or female parent with asecond cucumber plant or selfing cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP orvegetatively propagating cucumber NUN 53050 CUP and collecting seedsfrom said crossing or selfing or regenerating a whole plant from thevegetable cell- or tissue culture. Also provided are seeds and/or plantsobtained by this method. All plants produced using cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP as a parent are within the scope of the disclosure includingplant parts derived from cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

In further aspects, the method comprises growing a progeny plant of asubsequent generation and crossing the progeny plant of a subsequentgeneration with itself or a second plant and repeating the steps foradditional 3-10 generations to produce a plant derived from cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP. The plant derived from cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP may be an inbred line and the aforementioned repeating crossingsteps may be defined as comprising sufficient inbreeding to produce theinbred line. By selecting plants having one or more desirable traits ofthe line as well as potentially other selected traits.

The disclosure provides for methods of producing plants which retain allthe morphological and physiological characteristics of the plantdescribed herein. The disclosure also provides for methods of producinga plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP (e.g.,as listed in Tables 1 and 2), but which are still genetically closelyrelated to said variety. The relatedness can, for example, be determinedby fingerprinting techniques (e.g., making use of isozyme markers and/ormolecular markers such as Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers,amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers, microsatellites,minisatellites, Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers,restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers and others). Aplant is “closely related” to cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP if its DNAfingerprint is at least 80%, 90%, 95% or 98% identical to thefingerprint of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. In a particular aspect,AFLP markers are used for DNA fingerprinting (see, e.g., Vos et al.1995, Nucleic Acid Research 23: 4407-4414). A closely related plant mayhave a Jaccard's Similarity index of at least about 0.8, preferably atleast about 0.9, 0.95, 0.98 or more (see, e.g., Parvathaneni et al., J.Crop Sci. Biotech. 2011 (March) 14 (1): 39-43). The disclosure alsoprovides a plant and a variety obtained or selected by applying thesemethods on cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. Such a plant may be producedby crossing and/or selfing, or alternatively, a plant may simply beidentified and selected amongst plants of said variety, or progeny ofsaid variety, e.g., by identifying a variant within cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP or within progeny of said variety (e.g., produced by selfing)which variant differs from cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP in one, two,or three of the morphological and/or physiological characteristics(e.g., in one, two, or three distinguishing characteristics), e.g. thoselisted in Tables 1 and 2. In another aspect, the disclosure provides acucumber plant having a Jaccard's Similarity index with cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP of at least 0.8, e.g., at least 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 0.98 oreven at least 0.99.

In some aspects, the disclosure provides a cucumber plant comprisinggenomic DNA having at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identitycompared to the genomic DNA sequence of a plant of variety NUN 53050 CUPas deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43714. In some aspects, thecucumber plant further comprises all or all but 1, 2, or 3 of themorphological and physiological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP (e.g. as listed in Tables 1 and 2). In other aspects, thecucumber plant is a hybrid derived from a seed or plant of variety NUN53050 CUP. In another aspects the cucumber plant comprises thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP.

For the purpose of this disclosure, the “sequence identity” ofnucleotide sequences, expressed as a percentage, refers to the number ofpositions in the two optimally aligned sequences which have identicalresidues (×100) divided by the number of positions compared. A gap,i.e., a position in the pairwise alignment where a residue is present inone sequence but not in the other, is regarded as a position withnon-identical residues. A pairwise global sequence alignment of twonucleotide sequences is found by aligning the two sequences over theentire length according to the Needleman and Wunsch global alignmentalgorithm described in Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, J. Mol. Biol.48(3):443-53). A full implementation of the Needleman-Wunsch globalalignment algorithm is found in the needle program in The EuropeanMolecular Biology Open Software Suite (see, e.g., EMBOSS, Rice et al.,Trends in Genetics June 2000, vol. 16, No. 6. pp. 276-2′7′7).

In one aspect, the plant of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP may also bemutated (by e.g., irradiation, chemical mutagenesis, heat treatment,etc.) and mutated seeds or plants may be selected in order to change oneor more characteristics of said variety. Methods such as TILLING(Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes) may be applied to cucumberpopulations in order to identify mutants.

Similarly, cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP may be transformed andregenerated, whereby one or more chimeric genes are introduced into thevariety or into a plant comprising all but 1, 2, 3, or more of themorphological and physiological characteristics (e.g., as listed inTables 1 and 2). Many useful traits can be introduced into cucumbervariety 53050 CUP by e.g., crossing cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP witha transgenic cucumber plant comprising desired transgene, as well as bydirectly introducing a transgene into cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP bygenetic transformation techniques.

Transformation can be carried out using standard methods, such asAgrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation or biolistics,followed by selection of the transformed cells and regeneration intoplants. A desired trait (e.g., gene(s) conferring pest or diseaseresistance, herbicide, fungicide or insecticide tolerance, etc.) can beintroduced into cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, or progeny of saidvariety, by transforming said variety or progeny of said variety with atransgene that confers the desired trait, wherein the transformed plantretains all or all but one, two or three of the phenotypic and/ormorphological and/or physiological characteristics of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP or the progeny of said variety and contains the desiredtrait. In another aspect, the transformation or mutation confers a traitwherein the trait is the desired trait is yield, size, compactness, drymatter content, fruit quality, enhanced nutritional quality,post-harvest quality, storage properties, color, male sterility,herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, pest resistance, diseaseresistance, Powdery mildew resistance without necrosis, environmentalstress tolerance, modified carbohydrate metabolism, modified proteinmetabolism, or ripening.

Any pest or disease resistance genes may be introduced into the plant ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP, progeny of said variety or into a plantcomprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP (e.g.,as listed in Tables 1 and 2). Resistance to one or more of the followingdiseases or pests may be introduced into plants described herein:Angular Leaf Spot (Pseudomonas lachrymans), Anthracnose Race 1(Colletotrichum lagenaria), Anthracnose Race 2, Bacterial Wilt (Enviniatracheiphilus), Cucumber Scab (Gummosis) (Cladosporium cucumerinum),Downy Mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis), Powdery Mildew (Erysiphechicoracearum), Alternaria Leaf Blight (Alternaria cucumerina), TargetSpot (Corynespora cassiicola), Cucumber Rust, Root Rot, Crown Blight,Verticillum Wilt, Sulphur Burn, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum,Fusarium Wilt Race2, Root Knot (Nematode), Anthracnose, and/or SquashMosaic. Other resistances, against pathogenic viruses (e.g., CucumberMosaic Virus (CMV), Cucumber Yellow Mottle Mosaic Virus (CYMMV),Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV), Cucumber Aucuba Mosaic Virus(CAMV), Muskmelon Mosaic Virus (MMV), Cucumber Vein Yellowing Virus(CVYV), Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder Virus (CYSDV), WatermelonMosaic Virus (WMV), Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV), Zucchini Mosaic Virus(ZMV)), fungi, bacteria, nematodes, insects, or other pests may also beintroduced.

Genetic transformation may, therefore, be used to insert a selectedtransgene into the cucumber plants of the disclosure described herein ormay, alternatively, be used for the preparation of transgenic cucumberplants which can be used as a source of the transgene(s), which can beintroduced into cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP by e.g., backcrossing. Agenetic trait which has been engineered into the genome of a particularcucumber plant may then be moved into the genome of another cucumberplant (e.g., another variety) using traditional breeding techniqueswhich are well-known in the art. For example, backcrossing is commonlyused to move a transgene from a transformed cucumber variety into analready developed cucumber variety and the resulting backcrossconversion plant will then comprise the transgene(s).

Any DNA sequences, whether from a different species or from the samespecies, which are inserted into the genome using transformation, arereferred to herein collectively as “transgenes.” A “transgene” alsoencompasses antisense, or sense and antisense sequences capable of genesilencing. Thus, the disclosure also related to transgenic plants ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. In some aspects, a transgenic plant ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP may contain at least one transgene butcould also contain at least 1, 2, 3, 4, or more transgenes.

Plant transformation involves the construction of an expression vectorwhich will function in plant cells. Such a vector comprises DNAcomprising a gene under control of, or operatively linked to aregulatory element active in plant cells (e.g., promoter). Theexpression vector may contain one or more such operably linkedgene/regulatory element combinations. The vector may be in the form of aplasmid and can be used alone or in combination with other plasmids toprovide transformed cucumber plants using transformation methods toincorporate transgenes into the genetic material of the cucumberplant(s). transformation can be carried out using standard methods, suchas Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation, electroporation,biolistics particle delivery stem, or microprojectile bombardment,followed by selection of the transformed cells and regeneration intoplants.

Plants can also be genetically engineered, modified, or manipulated toexpress various phenotypes of horticultural interest. Through thetransformation of cucumber, the expression of genes can be altered toenhance disease resistance, insect resistance, herbicide resistance,stress tolerance, horticultural quality, and other traits.Transformation can also be used to insert DNA sequences which control orhelp control male sterility or fertility restoration. DNA sequencesnative to cucumber as well as non-native DNA sequences can betransformed into cucumber and used to alter levels of native ornon-native proteins. Reduction of the specific activity of specificgenes (also known as gene silencing or gene suppression) is desirablefor several aspects of genetic engineering in plants.

Genome editing is another method recently developed to geneticallyengineer plants. Specific modification of chromosomal loci or targetedmutation can be done through sequence-specific nucleases (SSNs) byintroducing a targeted DNA double strand break in the locus to bealtered. Examples of SSNs that been applied to plants are: fingernucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases(TALENs), engineered homing endonucleases or meganucleases, andclustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/(CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas9)), see, e.g., Songtad, et.al., Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences, 2017, 36:1, 1-23.

Thus, the disclosure also provides a method of producing a cucumberplant having a desired trait comprising mutating the plant or plant partof variety NUN 53050 CUP and selecting a plant with the desired trait,wherein the mutated plant retains all or all but one, two, or three ofthe physiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP, optionally as described Tables 1 and 2, and contains thedesired trait and wherein a representative sample of seed of variety NUN53050 CUP has been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43714. In afurther aspect, the desired trait is yield, size, compactness, drymatter content, fruit quality, enhanced nutritional quality,post-harvest quality, storage properties, color, male sterility,herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, pest resistance, diseaseresistance, Powdery mildew resistance without necrosis, environmentalstress tolerance, modified carbohydrate metabolism, modified proteinmetabolism, or ripening.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for inducing a mutationin cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP comprising:

-   -   a) exposing the seed, plant, plant part, or cell of cucumber        variety NUN 53050 CUP to a mutagenic compound or to radiation,        wherein a representative sample of seed of said cucumber variety        is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43714;    -   b) selecting the seed, plant, plant part, or a cell of cucumber        variety NUN 53050 CUP, having a mutation; and    -   c) optionally growing and/or multiplying the seed, plant, plant        part, or cell of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, having the        mutation.

The disclosure also provides a method of producing a cucumber planthaving a desired trait, wherein the method comprises transforming thecucumber plant with a transgene that confers the desired trait, whereinthe transformed plant otherwise retains all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP andcontains the desired trait. Thus, a transgenic cucumber plant isprovided which is produced by the method described above, wherein theplant otherwise has all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and the desired trait.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of producing aprogeny of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, further comprising a desiredtrait, said method comprising transforming the plant of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP with a transgene that confers the desired trait and/orcrossing the plant of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP with a transgeniccucumber plant comprising a desired transgene so that the geneticmaterial of the progeny that resulted from the cross contains thedesired transgene(s). Also encompassed is the progeny produced by thismethod.

A desired trait (e.g., gene(s)) conferring pest or disease resistance,or tolerance for protection, etc. can be introduced into cucumber plantvariety NUN 53050 CUP, or progeny of said variety, by transforming saidvariety or progeny of said variety with a transgene that confers thedesired trait, wherein the transformed plant otherwise retains all orall but one, two, or three of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, and contains thedesired trait. In another aspect, the transformation or mutation confersa trait wherein the trait is yield, size, compactness, dry mattercontent, fruit quality, enhanced nutritional quality, post-harvestquality, storage properties, color, male sterility, herbicide tolerance,insect resistance, pest resistance, disease resistance, Powdery mildewresistance without necrosis, environmental stress tolerance, modifiedcarbohydrate metabolism, modified protein metabolism, or ripening. In aparticular aspect, the specific transgene may be any known in the art orlisted herein, including a polynucleotide sequence conferring resistanceto imidazolinone, sulfonylurea, glyphosate, glufosinate, triazine,benzonitrile, cyclohexanedione, phenoxy proprionic acid andL-phosphinothricin or a polynucleotide conferring resistance to AngularLeaf Spot (Pseudomonas lachrymans), Anthracnose Race 1 (Colletotrichumlagenaria), Anthracnose Race 2, Bacterial Wilt (Erwinia tracheiphilus),Cucumber Scab (Gummosis) (Cladosporium cucumerinum), Downy Mildew(Pseudoperonospora cubensis), Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe chicoracearum),Alternaria Leaf Blight (Alternaria cucumerina), Target Spot (Corynesporacassiicola), Cucumber Rust, Root Rot, Crown Blight, Verticillum Wilt,Sulphur Burn, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum, Fusarium Wilt Race2,Root Knot (Nematode), Anthracnose, and/or Squash Mosaic. Otherresistances, against pathogenic viruses (e.g., Cucumber Mosaic Virus(CMV), Cucumber Yellow Mottle Mosaic Virus (CYMMV), Cucumber GreenMottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV), Cucumber Aucuba Mosaic Virus (CAMV),Muskmelon Mosaic Virus (MMV), Cucumber Vein Yellowing Virus (CVYV),Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder Virus (CYSDV), Watermelon Mosaic Virus(WMV), Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV), Zucchini Mosaic Virus (ZMV)),fungi, bacteria, nematodes, insects, or other pests may also beintroduced.

By crossing and/or selfing, (one or more) single traits may beintroduced into cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP (e.g., using backcrossingbreeding schemes), while retaining the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of said variety and/or while retaining one or more orall distinguishing characteristics. A single trait converted plant maythereby be produced. For example, disease resistance genes may beintroduced, genes responsible for one or more quality traits, yield,etc. Both single genes (e.g., dominant or recessive) and one or moreQTLs (quantitative trait loci) may be transferred into cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP by breeding with said variety.

Alternatively, a single trait converted plant or single locus convertedplant of variety NUN 53050 CUP may be produced by (i) geneticallytransforming or mutating cells of NUN 53050 CUP; (ii) growing the cellsinto a plant; and (iii) optionally selecting a plant that contains thedesired single locus conversion. The skilled person is familiar withvarious techniques for genetically transforming a single locus in aplant cell, or mutating said cells.

In another aspect the disclosure provides a method of introducing asingle locus conversion, a single trait conversion, or a desired traitinto cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, comprising introducing a singlelocus conversion, a single trait conversion, or a desired trait in atleast one of the parents of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, and crossingthe converted parent with the other parent of cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP to obtain seed of said variety.

In another aspect, the step of introducing a single locus conversion, asingle trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of theparents comprises:

-   -   a) crossing the parental line of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP        with a second cucumber plant comprising the single locus        conversion, the single trait conversion, or the desired trait;    -   b) selecting F1 progeny plants that contain the single locus        conversion, the single trait conversion, or the desired trait;    -   c) crossing said selected progeny plants of step b) with the        parental line of step a) to produce a backcross progeny plant;    -   d) selecting backcross progeny plants comprising the single        locus conversion, the single trait conversion, or the desired        trait and otherwise all or all but one, two or three of the        morphological and physiological characteristics the parental        line of step a) to produce selected backcross progeny plants;        and    -   e) optionally repeating steps c) and d) one or more times in        succession to produce selected second, third or fourth or higher        backcross progeny plants comprising the single locus conversion,        the single trait conversion or the desired trait and otherwise        all or all but one, two or three of the morphological and        physiological characteristics the parental line of step a) to        produce selected backcross progeny plants, when grown in the        same environmental conditions.        The disclosure further relates to plants obtained by this        method.

In another aspect, the step of introducing a single locus conversion, asingle trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of theparents comprises:

-   -   a) obtaining a cell or tissue culture of cells of the parental        line of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP;    -   b) genetically transforming or mutating said cells;    -   c) growing the cells into a plant; and    -   d) optionally selecting plants that contain the single locus        conversion, the single trait conversion or the desired trait.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of introducing asingle locus conversion, a single trait conversion or a desired traitinto cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP comprising:

-   -   a) obtaining a combination of a parental lines of cucumber        variety NUN 53050 CUP, optionally through reverse synthesis of        breeding lines;    -   b) introducing a single locus conversion, a single trait        conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of the parents of        step a); and    -   c) crossing the converted parent with the other parent of step a        to obtain seed of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

In another method, the step of introducing a single locus conversion,single trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of theparents comprises genetically transforming or mutating cells theparental line of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, growing the cells intoa plant, and optionally selecting plants that contain the single locusconversion, the single trait conversion, or the desired trait.

In any of the above methods, where the single locus conversion concernsa trait, the trait may be yield or pest resistance or diseaseresistance. In one aspect, the trait is disease resistance and theresistance is conferred to Angular Leaf Spot (Pseudomonas lachrymans),Anthracnose Race 1 (Colletotrichum lagenaria), Anthracnose Race 2,Bacterial Wilt (Erwinia tracheiphilus), Cucumber Scab (Gummosis)(Cladosporium cucumerinum), Downy Mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis),Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe chicoracearum), Alternaria Leaf Blight(Alternaria cucumerina), Target Spot (Corynespora cassiicola), CucumberRust, Root Rot, Crown Blight, Verticillum Wilt, Sulphur Burn, Fusariumoxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum, Fusarium Wilt Race 2, Root Knot (Nematode),Anthracnose, and/or Squash Mosaic. Other resistances, against pathogenicviruses (e.g., Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), Cucumber Yellow MottleMosaic Virus (CYMMV), Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV),Cucumber Aucuba Mosaic Virus (CAMV), Muskmelon Mosaic Virus (MMV),Cucumber Vein Yellowing Virus (CVYV), Cucurbit Yellow Stunting DisorderVirus (CYSDV), Watermelon Mosaic Virus (WMV), Papaya Ring Spot Virus(PRSV), Zucchini Mosaic Virus (ZMV)), fungi, bacteria, nematodes,insects, or other pests may also be introduced.

The disclosure also provides a plant having one, two, or threephysiological or morphological characteristics which are different fromthose of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, and which otherwise has all thephysiological and morphological characteristics of said variety, whereina representative sample of seed of variety has been deposited underAccession Number NCIMB 43714. In particular, variants which differ fromcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP in none, one, two, or three of thecharacteristics mentioned in Tables 1 and 2 are encompassed.

The disclosure also provides a cucumber plant comprising at least afirst set of the chromosomes of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, a sampleof seed of said variety having been deposited under Accession NumberNCIMB 43714; optionally further comprising a single locus conversion,wherein said plant has essentially all of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of the plant comprising at least a firstset of the chromosomes of said variety. In another aspect, this singlelocus conversion confers a trait wherein the trait yield, size,compactness, dry matter content, fruit quality, enhanced nutritionalquality, post-harvest quality, storage properties, color, malesterility, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, pest resistance,disease resistance, Powdery mildew resistance without necrosis,environmental stress tolerance, modified carbohydrate metabolism,modified protein metabolism, or ripening.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides for a haploid plant and/or adoubled haploid plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP, or of a plant having allbut one, two, or three physiological or morphological characteristics ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, or progeny of said variety. Haploid anddoubled haploid (DH) plants can, for example, be produced by cell ortissue culture and chromosome doubling agents and regeneration into awhole plant. In a method for DH production, chromosome doubling may beinduced using known methods, such as colchicine treatment or the like.In one aspect, the method comprises inducing a cell or tissue culturewith a chromosome doubling agent and regenerating the cells or tissuesinto a whole plant.

In another aspect, the disclosure comprises a method for making doubledhaploid cells of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, comprising makingdoubled haploid cells from haploid cells from the plant or plant part ofcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP with a chromosome doubling agent such ascolchicine treatment (see, e.g., Nikolova and Niemirowicz-Szczytt (1996)Acta Soc Bot Pol 65:311-317).

In yet another aspect, the disclosure provides for haploid plants and/ordoubled haploid plants derived from cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP that,when combined, make a set of parents of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.The haploid plant and/or the doubled haploid plant of variety NUN 53050CUP can be used in a method for generating parental lines of cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a method of producing acombination of parental lines of the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP,comprising making doubled haploid cells from haploid cells from saidplant or seed of that plant; and optionally crossing these parentallines to produce and collecting seeds. In another aspect, the disclosurerelates to a combination of parental lines produced by this method. Instill another aspect, the combination of parental lines can be used toproduce a seed or plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP when these parentallines are crossed. In still another aspect, the disclosure relates to acombination of parental lines from which a seed or plant having allphysiological and/or morphological characteristics of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP (when the numerical characteristics are determined at the5% significance level and identical for non-numerical characteristicsfor plants grown under the same environmental conditions).

The disclosure also provides a method for producing parental lines forhybrid NUN 53050 CUP comprising: genetically characterizing a doubledhaploid line from cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP to determine whetherone or more genetic markers are present in a first homozygous form or ina second homozygous form in said line, wherein one or more geneticmarkers are present in a heterozygous form in cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP; and selecting at least one pair of doubled haploid lines that havecomplementary alleles for one or more genetic markers, wherein eachmember of the pair is suitable as a parental line for a hybrid organism,optionally this method further comprises defining a set of geneticmarkers present in a heterozygous form in cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP; and producing doubled haploid lines from cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP. Doubled haploid lines generated as described herein can be used insuch method.

A combination of a male and a female parental line of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP can also be generated, for example, through reversesynthesis of breeding lines.

Using methods known in the art such as “reverse synthesis of breedinglines” or “reverse breeding,” it is possible to produce parental linesfor a hybrid plant such as cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. A skilledperson can take any individual heterozygous plant (called a“phenotypically superior plant” in Example 2 of US 2015/0245570 herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety; cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP is such a plant) and generate a combination of parental lines(reverse breeding parental lines) that, when crossed, produce thevariety NUN 53050 CUP. It is not necessary that the reverse breedingparental lines are identical to the original parental lines. Such newbreeding methods are based on the segregation of individual alleles inthe spores produced by a desired plant and/or in the progeny derivedfrom the self-pollination of that desired plant, and on the subsequentidentification of suitable progeny plants in one generation, or in alimited number of inbred cycles. Such a method is known from US2015/0245570 or from Wijnker et al., Nature Protocols Volume: 9, Pages:761-772 (2014) DOI: doi:10.1038/nprot.2014.049. Thus, the disclosureprovides a method for producing parental lines for a hybrid organism(e.g., cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP), comprising in one aspect: a)defining a set of genetic markers present in a heterozygous form (H) ina partially heterozygous starting organism; b) producing doubled haploidlines from spores of the starting organism; c) geneticallycharacterizing the doubled haploid lines thus obtained for the said setof genetic markers to determine whether they are present in a firsthomozygous form (A) or in a second homozygous form (B); and d) selectingat least one pair of doubled haploid lines that have complementaryalleles for at least a subset of the genetic markers, wherein eachmember of the pair is suitable as a parental line for the hybridorganism.

In another aspect, the method for producing parental lines for hybridorganisms, e.g., of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, which when crossedreconstitute the genome of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, comprising:

-   -   a) defining a set of genetic markers that are present in a        heterozygous form (H) in a partially heterozygous starting        organism;    -   b) producing at least one further generation from the starting        organism by self-pollination (e.g., F2 or F3 generation);    -   c) selecting at least one pair of progeny organisms in which at        least one genetic marker from the set is present in a        complementary homozygous forms (B vs. A, or A vs. B); and    -   d) optionally repeating steps b) and c) until at least one pair        of progeny organisms that have complementary alleles for at        least a subset of the genetic markers has been selected as        parental lines for a hybrid.

The disclosure also provides methods for determining the identity ofparental lines of plants described herein, in particular the identity ofthe female line. US 2015/0126380, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety, relates to a non-destructive method foranalyzing maternal DNA of a seed. In this method, the DNA is dislodgedfrom the seed coat surface and can be used to collect information on thegenome of the maternal parent of the seed. This method for analyzingmaternal DNA of a seed comprises contacting a seed with a fluid todislodge DNA from the seed coat surface, and analyzing the DNA thusdislodged from the seed coat surface using methods known in the art. Theskilled person is thus able to determine whether a seed has grown on aplant of variety NUN 53050 CUP or is a progeny of said variety, becausethe seed coat of the seed is a maternal tissue genetically identical tocucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. In one aspect, the disclosure relates toa seed coat comprising maternal tissue of cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP. In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a cucumber seedcomprising a maternal tissue of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. Inanother particular aspect, the disclosure provides for a method ofidentifying the female parental line of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUPby analyzing the seed coat of a seed of that variety. In another aspect,the skilled person can determine whether a seed is grown on cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP by analysing the seed coat or another maternaltissue of said seed.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of determining thegenotype of a plant described herein comprising detecting in the genome(e.g., a sample of nucleic acids) of the plant at least a firstpolymorphism or an allele. The skilled person is familiar with manysuitable methods of genotyping, detecting a polymorphism or detecting anallele including SNP (single Nucleotide Polymorphism) genotyping,restriction fragment length polymorphism identification (RFLP) ofgenomic DNA, random amplified polymorphic detection (RAPD) of genomicDNA, amplified fragment length polymorphism detection (AFLP), polymerasechain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, allele specific oligonucleotide(ASO) probes, and hybridization to DNA microarrays or beads.Alternatively, the entire genome could be sequenced. The method may, incertain aspects, comprise detecting a plurality of polymorphisms in thegenome of the plant, for example, by obtaining a sample of nucleic acidfrom a plant and detecting in said nucleic acids a plurality ofpolymorphisms. The method may further comprise storing the results ofthe step of detecting the plurality of polymorphisms on a computerreadable medium.

Also provided is a plant part obtainable from variety NUN 53050 CUP orfrom progeny of said variety or from a plant having all but one, two orthree physiological and/or morphological characteristics which aredifferent from those of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, or from avegetatively propagated plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP (or from itsprogeny or from a plant having all or all but one, two or threephysiological and/or morphological characteristics which are differentfrom those of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, wherein the plant part isa fruit, a harvested fruit, a part of a fruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf,pollen, an ovule, a cell, a petiole, a shoot or a part thereof, a stemor a part thereof, a root or a part thereof, a root tip, a cutting, aseed, a part of a seed, seed-coat or another maternal tissue which ispart of a seed grown on cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP or a hypocotyl, acotyledon, a scion, a stock, a rootstock, a pistil, an anther, or aflower or a part thereof.

Such a plant part of variety NUN 53050 CUP can be stored and/orprocessed further. The disclosure thus, provides for a food or a feedproduct comprising one or more of such parts, such as canned, chopped,cooked, roasted, in a sauce, in a sandwich, pasted, puréed orconcentrated, juiced, frozen, dried, pickled, or powdered cucumber fruitfrom cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP or from progeny of said variety, orfrom a derived variety, such as a plant having all but one, two, orthree physiological and/or morphological characteristics of cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP. Preferably, the plant part is a cucumber fruit orpart thereof and/or an extract from a fruit of the plant describedherein comprising at least one cell of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.The food or feed product may be fresh or processed, e.g., dried,grinded, powdered, pickled, chopped, cooked, roasted, in a sauce, in asandwich, pasted, puréed or concentrated, juiced, pickled, canned,steamed, boiled, fried, blanched and/or frozen, etc.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides for a cucumber fruit ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP, or a part of a fruit of said variety. The fruitcan be in any stage of maturity, for example, immature or mature. Inanother aspect, the disclosure provides for a container comprising orconsisting of a plurality of harvested cucumber fruits or parts offruits of said variety, or fruits of progeny thereof, or fruits of aderived variety. Marketable fruits are generally sorted by size andquality after harvest.

In another aspect, the plant, plant part, or seed of cucumber varietyNUN 53050 CUP is inside one or more containers. For example, thedisclosure provides containers such as cans, boxes, crates, bags,cartons, Modified Atmosphere Packaging, films (e.g., biodegradablefilms), etc. comprising a plant or a plant part (fresh and/or processed)or a seed of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. In a particular aspect, thecontainer comprises a plurality of seeds of cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP, or a plurality of plant parts of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.The seeds may be disinfected, primed and/or treated with variouscompounds, such as seed coatings or crop protection compounds. The seedproduces a plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP.

Cucumbers may also be grown for use as rootstocks (stocks) or scions.Typically, different types of cucumbers are grafted to enhance diseaseresistance, which is usually conferred by the rootstock, while retainingthe horticultural qualities usually conferred by the scion. It is notuncommon for grafting to occur between cultivated cucumber varieties andrelated cucumber species. Methods of grafting and vegetative propagationare well-known in the art.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides to a plant comprising arootstock or scion of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.

All documents (e.g., patent publications) are herein incorporated byreference in their entirety, including the following cited references:

-   Naktuinbouw, “Calibration Book for Cucumber & Gherkin,” Netherlands,    December 2010.-   Nunhems, B.V., “BASF Vegetable Seeds celebrates twenty years of    successful collaboration in high-wire cultivation of cucumbers,”    Netherlands, October 2019.-   Nunhems, B.V., Sequence Poster, Greenhouse Event, Canada, October    2019.-   Nunhems, B.V., Sequence Technical Sheet, Greenhouse Event, Canada,    October 2019. Nunhems Mexico S.A. de C.V., Sequence Cucumber    Long—Greenhouse Glass High Wire, 2020.-   Nunhems USA, Inc., Sequence Cucumber Long—Greenhouse Glass High    Wire, 2020.-   UPOV, “Guidelines for the Conduct of Tests for Distinctness,    Uniformity and Stability”, TG/61/7, March 2019.-   US Department of Agriculture, “Objective Description of Variety    Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)”, June 2015.-   Acquaah, G., “Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding”, Blackwell    Publishing, 2007, ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-3646-4.-   Colijn-Hooymans, J. C., et. al., “Competence for Regeneration of    Cucumber Cotyledons is Restricted to Specific Developmental Stages”,    Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, 1994, vol. 39, pp. 211-217.-   Needleman, S. B., et. al., “A General Method Applicable to the    Search for Similarities in the Amino Acid Sequence of Two Proteins”,    Journal of Molecular Biology, 1970, vol. 48(3), pp. 443-53.-   Nikolova, V., et. al., “Diploidization of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus    L.) Haploids by Colchini Treatment”, Acta Societas Botanicorum    Poloniae, 1996, vol. 65, pp. 311-317.-   Parvathaneni, R. K., et al., “Fingerprinting in Cucumber and Melon    (Cucumis spp.) genotypes Using Morphological and ISSR Markers”,    Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology, 2011, vol. 14, no. 1, pp.    39-43. DOI No. 10.1007/s12892-010-0080-1.-   Rice, P., et al., “EMBOSS: The European Molecular Biology Open    Software Suite”, Trends in Genetics, 2000, vol. 16, Issue 6. pp.    276-277.-   Sang-Gu, K., et. al., “Callus growth and Plant Regeneration in    Diverse Cultivars of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), Plant Cell,    Tissue and Organ Culture, 1998, vol. 12, pp. 67-74.-   Sarreb, D. A., et. al., “Comparison of Triploid and Diploid Cucumber    in Long-term Liquid Cultures,” Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture,    2002, vol. 71-3, pp. 231-235.-   Schrader, et. al., University of California Agriculture and Natural    Resources, Publication 8050,-   Vidaysky, F., et. al., “Tomato Breeding Lines Resistant and Tolerant    to Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus Issued from Lycopersicum hirsutum”,    The American Phytopathology Society, 1998, vol. 88, no. 9, pp.    910-914.-   Vos, P., et al., “AFLP: A New Technique for DNA Fingerprinting”,    Nucleic Acids Research, 1995, vol. 23(21), pp. 4407-4414.-   Wijnker, E., et al., “Hybrid Recreation by Reverse breeding in    Arabidopsis thaliana”, Nature Protocols, 2014, vol. 9, pp. 761-772.    DOI: doi: 10.1038/nprot.2014.049.-   U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,949-   U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,128-   U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,827-   U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,152-   US 2015/0126380-   US 2015/0245570-   US 2018/0054990-   US 2017/0335339    Development of Cucumber Variety NUN 53050 CUP

The hybrid variety NUN 53050 CUP was developed from a male and femaleproprietary inbred line of Nunhems. The female and male parents werecrossed to produce hybrid (F1) seeds of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.The seeds of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP can be grown to producehybrid plants and parts thereof (e.g., cucumber fruit). The hybridvariety NUN 53050 CUP can be propagated by seeds or vegetatively.

The hybrid variety is uniform and genetically stable. This has beenestablished through evaluation of horticultural characteristics. Severalhybrid seed production events resulted in no observable deviation ingenetic stability. Coupled with the confirmation of genetic stability ofthe female and male parents the Applicant has concluded that cucumbervariety NUN 53050 CUP is uniform and stable.

Deposit Information

A total of 2500 seeds of the hybrid variety NUN 53050 CUP was made andaccepted according to the Budapest Treaty by Nunhems B.V. on Jan. 27,2021 at the NCIMB Ltd., Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn,Aberdeen AB21 9YA, United Kingdom (NCIMB). The deposit has been assignedNCIMB number 43714. A statement indicating the viability of the samplehas been provided. A deposit of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and ofthe male and female parent line is also maintained at Nunhems B.V. Theseed lot number for cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP is 29605902002.

The deposit will be maintained for a period of 30 years, or 5 yearsafter the most recent request, or for the enforceable life of the patentwhichever is longer and will be replaced if it ever becomes nonviableduring that period. Access to the deposits will be available during thependency of this application to persons determined by the Director ofthe U.S. Patent Office to be entitled thereto upon request. Subject to37 C.F.R. § 1.808(b), all restrictions imposed by the depositor on theavailability to the public of the deposited material will be irrevocablyremoved upon the granting of the patent. Applicant does not waive anyrights granted under this patent on this application or under the PlantVariety Protection Act (7 U.S.C. § 2321 et seq.). Accordingly, therequirements of 37 CFR § 1.801-1.809 have been satisfied.

Characteristics of Cucumber Variety NUN 53050 CUP

The most similar variety to NUN 53050 CUP refers to variety Bowie, avariety from Rijk Zwaan. In Tables 1 and 2, a comparison betweencucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and the Reference Variety are shown basedon a trial in Acampo, Calif., USA. Seeding date: May 21, 2020;Harvesting date: Jul. 23, 2020. In Table 3, the distinguishingcharacteristics between cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and the ReferenceVariety are shown.

One replication of 30 plants per variety, from which at least 15 plantsor plant parts were randomly selected and were used to measure thecharacteristics. For numerical characteristics, averages werecalculated. For non-numerical characteristics, the type/degree weredetermined. Similarity and differences between two different plant linesor varieties can be determined by comparing the number of morphologicaland/or physiological characteristics (e.g., characteristics as listed inTables 1 and 2) that are the same (i.e., statistically not significantlydifferent) or that are different (i.e., statistically significantlydifferent) between the two plant lines or varieties using plants grownunder the same environmental conditions. A numerical characteristic isconsidered to be “the same” when the value for a numeric characteristicis not significantly different at the 1% (p<0.01) or 5% (p<0.05)significance level, using T-test, a standard method known to the skilledperson. Non-numerical or “degree” or “type” characteristic is considered“the same” when the values have the same “degree” or “type” when scoredusing USDA and/or UPOV descriptors, for plants are grown under the sameenvironmental conditions. In one aspect, a statistical analysis usingthe T-Test at 5% significance level is provided (see, Tables 4-17).

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a plant having all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP as presented in Tables 1 and 2, when grown under the sameenvironmental conditions.

TABLE 1 Objective Description of Cucumber Variety NUN 53050 CUP and theReference Variety (USDA Descriptors) Application Variety ReferenceVariety Characteristics (NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Type: Predominant usage:Pickling Pickling Slicing (Fresh Market), Pickling Predominant Culture:Outdoor Outdoor Outdoor, Greenhouse Area of Best Adaptation in the Mostareas Most areas USA: North, South, Most Areas Maturity: Days fromseedling to market    48 days    48 days maturity: Plant: Habit: VineVine Bush, Semi-bush, Vine Growth: Determinate Determinate Determinate,Indeterminate Flower color: Yellow Yellow Yellow, Orange, Green, OtherMain Stem: Length, cm (total length of first 15  78.99 cm  87.25 cminternodes): 3^(rd) internode length, cm:  5.58 cm  4.74 cm Stem form:Grooved, ridged Grooved, ridged Grooved, ridged; Smooth, round Leaf(Mature blade of third leaf): Length, mm: 133.19 mm 124.86 mm Width, mm:144.17 mm 136.17 mm Petiole length, cm: 127.30 mm 145.50 mm Fruit atedible maturity: Length, cm:  11.33 cm  11.89 cm Diameter at medial, cm: 3.67 cm  3.44 cm Weight, gram:  74.27 g  88.67 g Skin color: Mottled orspeckled Mottled or speckled Not mottled, Mottled or speckled withyellow with yellow with yellow Yellowish blossom end stripes: Extendmore than 1/3 Extend more than 1/3 Absent, Extend less than 1/3 of theof the fruit length of the fruit length fruit length, Extend more than1/3 of the fruit length Predominant color at stem end: Medium green Darkgreen White, Light Green, Medium (RHS 144B) (RHS NN137A) Green, DarkGreen Predominant color at blossom end: Medium green Dark green White,Light Green, Medium (RHS 144B) (RHS NN137A) Green, Dark Green Fruit neckshape: Not necked Not necked Not necked, Necked Fruit tapering: Blossomend tapered Ends blunt or rounded Both ends tapered, Stem end tapered,Blossom end tapered, Ends blunt or rounded Stem end cross section:Triangular Triangular Circular, Triangular, Square Medial cross section:Triangular Triangular Circular, Triangular, Square Blossom end crosssection: Triangular Triangular Circular, Triangular, Square Skin ribs:Not ribbed Not ribbed Not ribbed, Ribbed Skin luster: Dull Dull Dull,Glossy Spine color: White White White, Black Spine density: Few Few Few,Many Tubercles (Warts): Few, obscure Few, obscure Few, obscure; Many,obscure; Few, prominent; Many, prominent Flavor: Bitter free Bitter freeBitter free, Bitter Fruit Seed at Harvest Maturity: Length, cm:  16.65cm  16.44 cm Diameter at medial, cm:  6.06 cm  6.25 cm Color: CreamYellow White, Cream, Yellow, Orange, (RHS 11B) (RHS 16D) Brown, RedColor pattern: Striped Not striped Not striped, Striped Surface: SmoothSmooth Smooth, Rough Netting: Slight or none Slight or none Slight ornone, Heavy Fruits set: Parthenocarpically ParthenocarpicallyParthenocarpically, Normally with Seeds Disease resistances:Cladosporium cucumerinum(Ccd) Resistant Highly resistant Podosphaeraxanthii (Powdery Resistant Highly Resistant mildew)

TABLE 2 Objective Description of Cucumber Variety NUN 53050 CUP and theReference Variety (Non-USDA Descriptors) Application Variety ReferenceVariety Characteristics (NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Stem: Stem diameter, mm: 12.40 mm  13.24 mm Leaf (mature blade): Attitude: Erect Erect Erect,Horizontal, Drooping Shape of apex of terminal lobe: Right angled ObtuseAcute, Right-angled, Obtuse, Rounded Intensity of green color: MediumMedium Light, Medium, Dark, Very dark Blistering: Medium Weak Absent orvery weak, Weak, Medium, Strong, Very strong Undulation of margin:Absent or weak Absent or weak Absent or very weak, Moderate, StrongDentation of margin: Weak Weak Very weak, Weak, Medium, Strong, Verystrong Petiole diameter, mm:  4.98 mm  5.46 mm Ovary: Parthenocarpy:Present Present Absent, Present Fruit at edible maturity: Shape intransverse section: Angular Angular Round, Round to angular, AngularShape of stem end: Obtuse Obtuse Necked, Acute, Obtuse Shape of calyxend: Obtuse Rounded Acute, Obtuse, Rounded, Truncate Intensity of groundcolor of skin at Light to medium Dark to very dark market stage: Verylight, Light, Medium, Dark, Very dark Ribs: Absent or weak Absent orweak Absent or weak, Medium, Strong Sutures: Absent Absent Absent,Present Creasing: Absent Absent Absent, Present Density of vestiture:Sparse Sparse Very sparse, Sparse, Medium, Dense, Very dense Warts:Present Present Absent, Present Size of warts: Very small Small Verysmall, Small, Medium, Large, Very large Length of stripes: Long LongAbsent or very short, Short, Medium, Long, Very long Dots: PresentPresent Absent, Present Distribution of dots: Evenly distributedPredominantly in bands In bands only, Predominantly in bands, Evenlydistributed Length of fruit containing dots: Whole length Excluding areaaround Distal ⅓, Distal ½, Distal ⅔, peduncle Excluding area aroundpeduncle, Whole length Density of dots: Dense Sparse Very sparse,Sparse, Medium, Dense, Very dense Glaucosity: Absent or very weak Absentor very weak Absent or very weak, Weak, Medium, Strong, Very strongWarts per 2 cm × 2 area:  2.53  3.73 Ground color of skin at YellowYellow physiological ripeness: White, Yellow, Green, Orange, Brown FruitSeed at Harvest Maturity: Weight, g: 396.80 g 414.93 g

TABLE 3 Distinguishing Characteristics between Cucumber Variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety Application Variety ReferenceVariety Characteristics (NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Main Stem: Length, cm(total length of first 15  78.99 cm  87.25 cm internodes): 3^(rd)internode length, cm:  5.58 cm  4.74 cm Leaf (Mature blade of thirdleaf): Length, mm: 133.19 mm 124.86 mm Width, mm: 144.17 mm 136.17 mmPetiole length, cm: 127.30 mm 145.50 mm Shape of apex of terminal lobe:Right angled Obtuse Acute, Right-angled, Obtuse, Rounded Blistering:Medium Weak Absent or very weak, Weak, Medium, Strong, Very strongPetiole diameter, mm:  4.98 mm  5.46 mm Fruit at edible maturity:Diameter at medial, cm:  3.67 cm  3.44 cm Weight, gram: 74.27 g 88.67 gPredominant color at stem end: Medium green Dark green White, LightGreen, Medium (RHS 144B) (RHSNN137A) Green, Dark Green Predominant colorat blossom end: Medium green Dark green White, Light Green, Medium (RHS144B) (RHSNN137A) Green, Dark Green Fruit tapering: Blossom Ends bluntBoth ends tapered, Stem end end tapered or rounded tapered, Blossom endtapered, Ends blunt or rounded Shape of calyx end: Obtuse Rounded Acute,Obtuse, Rounded, Truncate Intensity of ground color of skin at Light tomedium Dark to very dark market stage: Very light, Light, Medium, Dark,Very dark Size of warts: Very small Small Very small, Small, Medium,Large, Very large Distribution of dots: Evenly distributed PredominantlyIn bands only, Predominantly in in bands bands, Evenly distributedLength of fruit containing dots: Whole length Excluding area Distal ⅓,Distal ½, Distal ⅔, around peduncle Excluding area around peduncle,Whole length Density of dots: Dense Sparse Very sparse, Sparse, Medium,Dense, Very dense Warts per 2 cm × 2 area: 2.53 3.73 Fruit Seed atHarvest Maturity: Color: Cream Yellow White, Cream, Yellow, Orange, (RHS11B) (RHS 16D) Brown, Red Color pattern: Striped Not striped Notstriped, Striped

The results of the T-Test show significant differences at 5%significance level between cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and theReference Variety for main stem length, 3rd internode length, matureleaf length, mature leaf width, petiole length, petiole diameter, fruitdiameter at edible maturity, fruit weight at edible maturity, andwartiness per 2 cm×2 area as shown in Tables 4-12.

Table 4 shows a significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p<0.001) for main stem length (cm)based on a trial conducted in the US during the trial season 2020.

TABLE 4 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter (NUN53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 70.10 78.90 Maximum86.20 96.30 Median 79.20 86.40 Mean 78.99 87.25 Standard deviation 3.905.22

Table 5 shows a significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p<0.001) for 3^(rd) internodelength (cm) based on a trial conducted in the US during the trial season2020.

TABLE 5 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter (NUN53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 4.30 3.90 Maximum6.20 5.50 Median 5.80 4.60 Mean 5.58 4.74 Standard deviation 0.52 0.51

Table 6 shows a significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.016) for mature leaf length(mm) based on a trial conducted in the US during the trial season 2020.

TABLE 6 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter (NUN53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 119.53 109.31 Maximum155.01 135.67 Median 130.29 125.93 Mean 133.19 124.93 Standard deviation10.60 6.68

Table 7 shows a significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.014) for mature leaf width (mm)based on a trial conducted in the US during the trial season 2020.

TABLE 7 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter (NUN53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 129.45 124.09 Maximum166.65 148.29 Median 141.46 135.63 Mean 144.17 136.17 Standard deviation9.64 6.74

Table 8 shows a significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.003) for petiole length (mm)based on a trial conducted in the US during the trial season 2020.

TABLE 8 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter (NUN53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 98.81 128.03 Maximum156.90 169.72 Median 122.66 148.96 Mean 127.30 145.50 Standard deviation16.17 14.34

Table 9 shows a significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.004) for petiole diameter (mm)based on a trial conducted in the US during the trial season 2020.

TABLE 9 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter (NUN53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 4.58 4.63 Maximum5.90 5.99 Median 4.85 5.62 Mean 4.98 5.46 Standard deviation 0.39 0.43

Table 10 shows a significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.006) for fruit weight at ediblematurity (g) based on a trial conducted in the US during the trialseason 2020.

TABLE 10 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter(NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 52.0 70.0Maximum 100.0 112.0 Median 74.0 88.0 Mean 74.27 88.67 Standard deviation13.35 13.41

Table 11 shows a significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.014) for fruit diameter atedible maturity (cm) based on a trial conducted in the US during thetrial season 2020.

TABLE 11 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter(NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 3.20 3.0 Maximum4.0 3.80 Median 3.70 3.40 Mean 3.67 3.44 Standard deviation 0.26 0.21

Table 12 shows a significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p<0.001) for warts per 2 cm×2 areabased on a trial conducted in the US during the trial season 2020.

TABLE 12 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter(NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 1.0 3.0 Maximum4.0 5.0 Median 3.0 4.0 Mean 2.53 3.73 Standard deviation 0.92 0.70

The results of the T-Test show no significant difference at 5%significance level between cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP and theReference Variety for stem diameter, fruit seed length at harvestmaturity, fruit seed diameter at medial at harvest maturity, and fruitseed weight at harvest maturity as shown in Tables 13-17.

Table 13 shows no significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.056) for fruit length at ediblematurity (cm) based on a trial conducted in the US during the trialseason 2020.

TABLE 13 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter(NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 9.70 11.10Maximum 12.60 13.00 Median 11.30 11.70 Mean 11.33 11.89 Standarddeviation 0.88 0.61

Table 14 shows no significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.066) for stem diameter (mm)based on a trial conducted in the US during the trial season 2020.

TABLE 14 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter(NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 10.17 11.83Maximum 14.54 15.57 Median 12.27 13.04 Mean 12.40 13.24 Standarddeviation 1.30 1.09

Table 15 shows no significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.655) for fruit seed length atharvest maturity (cm) based on a trial conducted in the US during thetrial season 2020.

TABLE 15 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter(NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 14.0 14.80Maximum 18.10 19.10 Median 16.90 16.10 Mean 6.65 16.44 Standarddeviation 1.15 1.35

Table 16 shows no significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.157) for fruit seed diameter atmedial at harvest maturity (cm) based on a trial conducted in the USduring the trial season 2020.

TABLE 16 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter(NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 5.50 5.80Maximum 6.50 7.20 Median 6.0 6.20 Mean 6.06 6.25 Standard deviation 0.280.41

Table 17 shows no significant difference between cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP and the Reference Variety (p=0.573) for fruit seed weight atharvest maturity (cm) based on a trial conducted in the US during thetrial season 2020.

TABLE 17 Statistical Application Variety Reference Variety Parameter(NUN 53050 CUP) (Bowie) Number of samples 15 15 Minimum 270.0 208.0Maximum 474.0 646.0 Median 422.0 412.0 Mean 396.80 414.93 Standarddeviation 59.37 107.24

The invention claimed is:
 1. A plant or seed of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP, wherein a representative sample of seed of said cucumbervariety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43714. 2. A plant partof the plant of claim 1, wherein said plant part is a leaf, a fruit, ascion, a root, a rootstock, or a cutting.
 3. A seed that produces theplant of claim
 1. 4. A cucumber plant having all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of the plant of claim 1, when grownunder the same environmental conditions.
 5. A cucumber plant or partthereof obtained from the plant of claim 1 which does not differ in anyof the morphological and physiological characteristics from the plant ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP, when grown under the same environmentalconditions, and wherein a representative sample of seed of said varietyis deposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43714. 6. A tissue or cellculture comprising regenerable cells of the plant or plant part of claim1, said cells being obtained from cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP andsuitable for regeneration into a plant having all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP. 7.The tissue or cell culture according to claim 6, comprising cells orprotoplasts obtained from the plant part of cucumber variety NUN 53050CUP, wherein the plant part is a meristem, a cotyledon, a hypocotyl, apollen, a leaf, an anther, a root, a root tip, a pistil, a petiole, aflower, a fruit, a stalk, or a stem.
 8. A cucumber plant regeneratedfrom the tissue or cell culture of claim 6, wherein the plant has all ofthe physiological and morphological characteristics of the plant ofvariety NUN 53050 CUP, when grown under the same environmentalconditions, and wherein a representative sample of seed of said varietyis deposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43714. 9. A method ofproducing the plant of claim 1, said method comprising vegetativelypropagating at least a part of the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP,wherein a representative sample of seed of said cucumber variety isdeposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43714. 10. The method of claim 9,wherein the vegetative propagating comprises regenerating a whole plantfrom said part of the plant of variety NUN 53050 CUP, wherein arepresentative sample of seed of said cucumber variety is depositedunder Accession Number NCIMB
 43714. 11. The method of claim 9, whereinsaid part is a cutting, a cell culture, or a tissue culture.
 12. Avegetatively propagated plant, or a part thereof produced by the methodof claim 9, wherein the vegetatively propagated plant or part thereofhas all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of theplant of variety NUN 53050 CUP, when grown under the same environmentalconditions, and wherein a representative sample of seed of said cucumbervariety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43714. 13. A method ofproducing a cucumber plant, said method comprising crossing the plant ofclaim 1 with a second cucumber plant at least once, selecting a progenycucumber plant from said crossing and optionally allowing the progenycucumber plant to form seed.
 14. A method of introducing a desired traitinto the plant of claim 1, said method comprising transforming the plantof claim 1 with a transgene that confers the desired trait, wherein thedesired trait is male sterility, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance,pest resistance, disease resistance, powdery mildew resistance withoutnecrosis, environmental stress tolerance, modified carbohydratemetabolism, or modified protein metabolism.
 15. A cucumber plantproduced by the method of claim 14, wherein the transformed plantcontains the desired trait and otherwise retains all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP.
 16. A method of making doubled haploids of the plant of claim1, said method comprising making doubled haploid cells from haploidcells of the plant of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, wherein arepresentative sample of seed of said cucumber variety is depositedunder Accession Number NCIMB
 43714. 17. A plant comprising the scion orrootstock of claim
 2. 18. A container comprising the plant or seed ofclaim
 1. 19. A food, a feed product, or a processed product comprisingthe plant part of claim 2, wherein the plant part comprises at least aregenerable cell of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP.
 20. A method ofproducing a cucumber fruit, said method comprising growing the plant ofclaim 1 until it sets at least one fruit, and collecting the fruit. 21.A fruit produced by the method of claim
 20. 22. A method of producing acucumber plant with a desired trait, comprising mutating a plant orplant part of variety NUN 53050 CUP and selecting a mutated plant with adesired trait, wherein the mutated plant otherwise retains all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP, when grown under the same environmental conditions, wherein arepresentative sample of seed of said cucumber variety is depositedunder Accession Number NCIMB 43714, and wherein the desired trait ismale sterility, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, pest resistance,disease resistance, powdery mildew resistance without necrosis,environmental stress tolerance, modified carbohydrate metabolism, ormodified protein metabolism.
 23. A method of determining the genotype ofthe plant of claim 1, said method comprising obtaining a sample ofnucleic acids form said plant, detecting in said nucleic acids aplurality of polymorphisms, thereby determining the genotype of theplant, and storing the results of detecting the plurality ofpolymorphisms on a computer readable medium.
 24. A method of producing acucumber plant, said method comprising crossing cucumber plants andharvesting the resultant seed, wherein at least one cucumber plant isthe plant of claim 1, wherein a representative sample of seed of saidcucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP is deposited under NCIMB Accession Number43714.
 25. A method of introducing a single locus conversion into theplant of claim 1, comprising: a. crossing the plant of claim 1 with asecond cucumber plant comprising a desired single locus to produce F1progeny plants; b. selecting F1 progeny plants that have the singlelocus to produce selected F1 progeny plants; c. crossing selected F1progeny plants with cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP to produce backcrossprogeny plants; d. selecting backcross progeny plants that have thesingle locus conversion and otherwise comprise all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP toproduce selected backcross progeny plants; and e. repeating steps (c)and (d) one or more times in succession to produce selected second orhigher backcross progeny plants that comprise the single locusconversion and otherwise comprise all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP, whereina representative sample of seed of said cucumber variety is depositedunder Accession Number NCIMB
 43714. 26. The method of claim 25, whereinthe single locus conversion confers male sterility, herbicide tolerance,insect resistance, pest resistance, disease resistance, powdery mildewresistance without necrosis, environmental stress tolerance, modifiedcarbohydrate metabolism, or modified protein metabolism.
 27. A cucumberplant produced by the method of claim 25, wherein the plant comprisesthe single locus conversion and otherwise retains all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP.
 28. A method of producing a cucumber plant obtained from theplant of claim 1, comprising: a. preparing a progeny cucumber plantderived from cucumber variety NUN 53050 CUP by crossing the plant ofclaim 1 with itself or with a second cucumber plant; b. crossing theprogeny plant with itself or a second cucumber plant to produce seeds ofa progeny plant of a subsequent generation; c. growing a progeny plantof the subsequent generation from said seed and crossing the progenyplant of the subsequent generation with itself or a second cucumberplant; and d. repeating steps (b) and (c) for at least one moregeneration to produce a cucumber plant derived from cucumber variety NUN53050 CUP.
 29. A method for developing a cucumber plant in a cucumberbreeding program, said method comprising applying plant breedingtechniques comprising recurrent selection, backcrossing, mass selection,mutation breeding, genetic marker enhanced selection, or genetictransformation to the plant of claim 1 or part thereof, wherein saidplant breeding techniques result in a development of a cucumber plant.